www.freedonipress.org.uk 21 APRIL 2007
Looking at the rise of the BNP Resistance in Bangladesh The Liverpool dockers Babel reviewed INSIDE ►► page, 3 p age 4 p a ge 5 p a ge 7 M A M A LOOK AROUND THE GLOBE he Mayday march, only recently The bloc will form at 12pm at I revived in the UK, is a global Clerkenwell Green, and is marked by ■ celebration of Working people the Red and Black flag. At the other end beating state and business for die of the country, a march in Edinburgh betterment of all. will be happening on 5th May. The UK now sees one iOf the larger Mayday events around the world, events with the Mayday Rally in both large and small, will stretch from London and others across the country. late April into Maviy The occasion is one not just for TUC In the US, a major initiative is looking unionists, it attracts a huge variety of to build on the mass movement of last people from across-the left, including year against anti-immigration laws to anarchists, Who mark the contribution wake die ‘sleeping giant' of millions of of anarchism to class struggle. hyper-exploited workers in the country This year’s anarchist bloc has mainly to fight for their rights. been organised by members o f the In Edmonton* Candad, there is a South England Anarchist Federation - week-long labour festival, and in an anarcho-communist class struggle Florida there is a similar week-long .group working to abolish capitalism in series o f events going on around the foyour of a; society o f free federations.. state., . Tacks!, a member of the organising In Germany, Mayday is celebrated grot^said:; “Having attended TOG n ot only fo r its labour connotation but I inaya^s&fevgurSj .whilst the talk o f also as die day which really launched. & & £ £ I assume they main 20,000 ravers are expected in Dortmund howfoe.13!^
message’ytdthe^ne^^rime T t doesn’t remly. naaftOr ^pfople-tofthe, ^ & f e o l wrap it up,thathoxhash^ ni India,; May^^bruncldes, vritha for over- S^years.hoWi regulated. ~ general period* In Brazil,, -unidn^ capitalism does; not work, -J^boti^S^K' '■■afo jWrpg;fo&^ ‘listening’ to die unions from the ‘precarity’^the loss bfrjbb security- and ruling class,/fbey can takea
•jpfhe Public and Commercial Series:-.: our pubhe 'SfeiyfoeS, and the labour in ess^&-& r eplaeeone set ofanti-«;; hOlksr^i^erieS'Squat is-facing The council told Freedoth that th ey I Union (PCS) have announced that zifovemem wdth it. Thisds not {ust~a Workerparliamentarians with anofoeri eviepoh-after Dij on’s ‘socialist’ recognise the cultural activities Les.. §p&foeirZtyOfiOO members m fo e eN T fight on pay, privatisation and fobs^ This cxintr adictionmvdl^ ^g§)uncil has agreed to sell the land Taimeries bringstO; Dijon* that “relations Ito.G&erMel^eiSahteV France’s, largest - with foe occupiers, are good”: and. say - 'service will be .striking over ‘pathetic’ paV this is a fight for the future of public planned PCS; strike - between furthering offers bring made by management. This services as we know if,” workers- interests, and undermining and multinational private health provider they will “find them an alternative site” will be tfae second day o f strikes, following Mark Serwotka, General Secretary'iof misleading them - is; a tension in many! Les Tanneries has been occupied since should .there be a change in the situation, a prewusxme-day'stri^ the union seated that “Low paid workers . contemporary uniOtis-Tfoeir^^(^ntinuing 19$$;and aftery^rs. of carapaigrung Generale De Sante are well represented : PCS, members have been conducting' ate being asked fo abeept below more decline in membership and power reflects, obtained a no-eviction deal from the in foe region already , and local people ongoing action short of a strike since than half the rate of inflation. This is tins tension through a general disillusion co.undl in '2002p. ’ are asking why there has been no public March, and continuefo gamer wide completely outrageous. Public sector ment, evfo within union full-timers, over The Council backtracked Oh their discussion o f this decision. Other support fromuofoer unfons,. vfoo^ workers are being asked fo;payitbe price | ItheftabiKty to, challengethe cdfobined 1 : recent decisxon to evict; after protest,® | autonomous spaces, m Dijofo L’Hdorado pay -ofret as one that n ot only attempts of foe government’s fiscal policies at a poWer govefntnent and bosses. emails and an occupation of a council I independent cinema, and Les Toboggans to drive down Wages: and working time when people in the O ty ate getting J : Suggestions of joint strike action meeting by 300 people demonstrated squat are now also being threatened conditions hut also- further weaken the bilJfons,^ Allibf this is -at' a ; between: .the PCS and other unions concern1 over the moVe. Their latest With Action,
GM back again The first GM crop trials in several years are getting underway in Cambridge, and Was-met by an anti* GM potato protest walk on Saturday Around the world 14th A pril The German multinational Chemical ARGENTINA: A general strike saw an unknown location. Around 30 of the numbers of IDPs who have been kept across seven continents. company, BASF, has been granted thousands march through Buenos Ares arrested teachers were arrested in the away from their homes due to lack of The concerts aim to bring the issue permission to plant genetically on I Oth April in protest at the killing Association’s offices in Hamadan and safety there including ongoing fighting of climate change to a wider audience modified potatoes at NIAB on the of Carlos Fuentealba. Fellow strikers a number of others were arrested at and fear of heavily mined areas for and set an example by using ‘eco- outskirts of die city. had blocked roads across the province their homes and elsewhere. This included over a decade. friendly’ methods of running such as An organiser for the walk, from the on 5th April after Carlos was killed. all members of the board of directors carbon offset (debunked when it was Cambridge Action Network, said? “This Carlos* a teacher was sitting in a car of the association in Hamadan. VIETNAM: A series o f w ildcat strikes pointed out that to make up for is widdy bring viewed as a test of public that was part of a rolling blockade when The new arrests; in Hamadan took have swept Vietnam over the last three Britain’s pollution alone it would opinion and if we le t these trial go ahead the shot was fired. According to the place as other teachers were released months after a wide range of workforces require one billion trees a year to be with little or no opposition* more GM driven Gonzalo Arroyo* the car was on high bails, charged with attempting lost patience with pay, working condi planted), For more see Imagine If trials, and eventually commercial growing surrounded by 20 officers who began to hold illegal gatherings and failure tions and social insurance. (Page 8 b will be here before we know to hit it with rifle butts so they would to comply with police orders As Freedom Up to 43 strikes have hit, with several ; M There will be a GM B te Potato, Ficnlc “step. An officer then fired a teaur gas; goes, to press* tiiere~am rumours strike, beginning in February after the lunar ZIMBABWE: A day before the ZCTU’s on 21st April, meeting.at 1pm at the grenade into the back windscreen. Carlos, action and protel|s; could take place . New Year festivities in February. The planned walkout, President Mugabe Preston Road Gcrnmunity Criuxe* Sstit, whh WUs. in the back seat, was struck on 15 th, 16th and 29 th April. rA strikes, follow a similar pattern to last unleashed his security agents, the End, H u ll forwaikjtO^picnic at propose^' inftienbek^: further rally may also be organised year* when workers Successfully fought uniformed and plainclothes police, the site for GM potatoes;sS^-inutatoesyorg Teachers have: been striking since the for Brth M a y ; for a 25%; Wage hike and an end to national youth service and the youth 5th March after the Neuquen state company demands for a 70-hour league that were bussed from all Meadowbank roars ^ government refused to raise wages. In SRI LANKA: Armed conflict in Sri working week, eventually imposed by corners of the country to scuttle the More than six hundred people inarched i&sponsestrikers’picjtes began to Lanka between: government folces* the government intervention. stay away; from Meadowbank Stadium to the block roads- in order to increase the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Thousands have walked out of On the first day of the mass strike City Chambers to deliver a 6,000-name pressure. Riot pofice were then sent in, and other armed.groups.^which has companies who have been flouting on 4th April armed riot police with petition opposing the closure of escalated $m|& April; 2.006? continues labour laws and reneging on pay and electric baton sticks, vicious dogs and Edinburgh's o^^spoits;.stadium. CUBA: A heW1 facifity up Guantanamo to be. marked by widespread human hours promises, "Workers at All Super AK 47 rifles descended at Overspill The march included, politicians^ local Buy has instituted an eyen harsher Textiles* a Taiwanese company, Shopping Centre, Ruben Shops and residents, and sports .stars. Itw as led regime for inmates at the prison facidity, Amnesty ftterixatibnal^ b ^ ^ p re ssed demanded a wage hike and the ending Munyuki Centre in Epworth and by^youngsters proudlyWearing their uccbr.cfihgmn-n^ strong; concerns; about* &eRJsfognuniber Cf demands that they work up to ordered the closure of all night clubs club, colours, Ca3^^g^n^sortmen^J :. pOndifions^at Camp ^w hich opened Rftdyilia^ injuredas. a 1,000 hours overtime a year —, five; times and bars. in Deceniberp^OS^ are described ast . resulbbffdeul^uteSri Lanka’si what is allowed under Vietnamese law. Riot police entered Zimunhu Bar . Meadowbarij^^lp^ans^ j “cruel :^ d umuman” in k t investi^^ Sftreasu^. v The company agreed to reduce aver-' and Restaurant and began to brazenly TTxe;maxdi^ ;; tunc, closbjc>n -Smidays; and raise w ages. assault anyone; they found inside. During are confined for 22 hours a day to the melee three people Muny.aradzi individual, steel cells with no natural daily occurrences, as is arbitrary ^Gthe^^^febappened at Peaktop, Manda,. Davison Chandu&aund Tjandawa ^ concern at a public meeting and over a candle making company in Bien Hoa _ / ^ s ^ 3^ J ia d their l^gs brok&n. The 5^ w 0 put urarname ftran "nline ™ pension opposing tb.e plan. 6,000 more subjected to 24-hour lightingand under international humanitarian law and Epic Designer II who threatened bruises all over their bodies, while have signed a paper petition. constant observation jby guards. to protect from harm those taking no workers with the sack if they struck Chandira lost his right eye after an active'part in hostilities. Tens of over a 5 % raise. electric baton stick beat him. Work deaths rocket IRAN: fr^ aUeged ihat ^ teachers in thousands f^f familieshave lost their The same brutality was also reported There has been a dramatic rise in wOrk* Hamadan ^foymce^haye^been^ir^^d:,.. property and theft m^unsOf .. . WORLDWIDE: LiveEarth, a massive in Mufakose, Mbare, Dzivarasekwa, place fatalities at work^fficial figures ^^im^g^eriunent by the |frye^obd*,un& worldwide concert organised by green Budiriro, Glen View, Highfields and ahow^Stadstics for & e';^ "up ■ .. Trade3yssb|c|ari^ groups and headed by Al -Gofe* is Kuwadzana-where the riot police: %ofhe end <>f September la^t^ear- f r ItTs‘ thought hoping tp^attract a two billion-stxong'- Stacked;^vetyOnethey saw in bars rdeased this week by the Health and ^n^unda)®8th'A^il anftncan^ferrCdlo hkp9000. This. adds, to the large audience on 7th July when it launches and nightclubs. Safi^r Executive show 124 workers died in the six month-period, compared to 212 in all of 2005/06. If the same trend continued until the reporting year ends tins montft it would push thfi fatalities figure to a ;fivegye^;high of#48 deaths, up 17’% onh s t^ a x .^ Prson news (From Hazards Magazine) II Sflyes^te; at leasr .2012,>nnd ^ s 6 likely until operating with an illegally armed group. Majct The Italian^uris/have ruled -that ' to ftt innocence ’More superumqn.m be on ;SiIyj^Guermi and Federico^^ Bon^miqt Idfljboth charges and stressed that an the cards after it emergedgeneral unions should b4 released, under houso^cesL : |N^^Gamemsich,;T<^cj^^ jbostalleddast Septeml^-m Remembrance alleged confession was obtained under Amicus and the TGWUiaretalkmg to This means that only three II ;810.5,:JRi^Q^d6rf^jSw^eriaA.d*. pfSSpeciaTBranch officerStephen Oake,^ ^he is currently serving a nine United Steelworkers in the US about members, Benedetta Galante,, Fbahcesdd; p^h6^^s^loUed.wlhle^ryftgR | 3par-sentence. Since the trial, the persecu creating susingle international union <^k)|a, and Gostantino Ragusa,-are Jdsh,WoI^el^sec(;: ^afrAJ ^#aeda-ftxsjpdc^Oak^^^te tion has/hOntinued Forced-prison group- - cmrexitly imprisoned. Please .send Freelancejounoalist JbsftWdl§mhp^^S Nd.e[s.cribed-.at the time^by hiS'Wife .as • tran^ersj. restrictions on visitation and The U3C uA£6ft%W^ messages of support .to.; imprisonedfOrreftsm hand iCiyecil ^nb^Rm®The:pohcea dexiiais o f rights extended .to other earlier this year that they would be ^Benedetta Galante, Casa Circondariale, unpublished fbomgeof ;a^^n Ffahc|^f| pbout ‘a/i; prisonefslatb among the grievances merging to create Unite, a two million- Contrada Capo di Monte,• protest wEere aObp^^s^jureda^ a :qiteii?by the 'CGT; I member udonco^ rixgm dustr^ Benevenco. (BN), Italy, squad car vdamaged,,has. been-ftced/aften The CGT states that they regard the fhe^ato and * Francesco. Gxoia, ^ja Maiano, 1% ': ^seven^and a half months in jail. prosecutionRts an attack on alternative mount crossratlantic campaigns* ^>6045 Spoleco, Italy| Following his release, josh, who has R ie ^ "sodal^movements in Catalunya-, particu The international concept is not a new Costantino Ragusa, Casa Circondariale, always maintained his; film captured : |lb c e ;p 0 l Laura Riera, a^^^y.ear-C>ld larly the. Assemblea d’Okupes dc .one, with anarchist unions such as the Vk Prati NuovI Voghera neither incident^posted resident has been a Terrassa, defend rxot only Laura’s 0m tt:assd internationals such as thePj05AJ Italy. prisoner o f the Spanish State under ^anOcencebu^her lifestyle and mxhtance having practiced directly deinocratic Brian McCarvjll fascisf inspired anti-terrorism Jaw iS a n d s t^ d - im ^ li^ ^ family. versions for over a hundred years. P8irofefor Dave BlenWnsop Long-time US prisoh-resister Brian v^del^^iticlsed;^ international human Laura continues her struggle for justice Former animal-rights prisoner Dave> McGarvill^^is, appeaJM gfbfc^r^ rights; oigankariohs:. .At the time of her inside the prison, w ith hunger strikes in Blenkinsop has been released on parole. ence and for pubh<^tions,^bft can a ftest Ldurdl wd$ a metnb^r.of deface pfth^ rigbft^a^d those of other Ford workers are considering nation- Dave thanks everyone who wrote to write to him at; Brian McGaryill* ^sem blea dsOkup^idb Tcrras^g§a‘ - : prisoners and in the courts with a union ; Iwide industrial action following the hint* and those who supported him in #I1037576y OSR 2,6.05 State^Streei , squaftefs union affibated^with the local attorney. Ssehd messages of support decj^ic^ iO/CloSe the com pany^ ^ mother ways, during his seAtaoce- He Salem, Oregon 97010, U.^gAs wfien - ftdemtion ofthe ftvofttiOxiaf^R ^ La ura Riera Vaienexanc^ Centro Leamington foundry. has also requested tixat bk privacy he w riting to all US prik>ner% pleaseipA^; ^hdidaJiS,^C^C:and n tri^ in local - . Ctra, N- Union bosMs, addressed the 38^ ^ resperted following his release, your name add addrt^a on' tiie;duftld^ femihiSt and anti-fas National Socialism on the march Rob Ray looks at the BNP's drive to caiiture hearts and minds at the council elections on 6th May JRB n all-in effort to make major Unite against Fascism, whose own with little success, and it has been able f l gains across the UK has led the links with the Socialist Workers Party to capitalise on the lack of a strong ■ ■ British National Party to put out are well known, have already begun left-wing alternative to cloak itself in 827 named candidates in the largest campaigning, and several major unions progressive language. ever Campaign by a far-right group in will also he prominent. Although its nationalism, racism district elections. Tory and Labour candidates will be and homophobia have been a heavy Yorkshire, the North West and West fighting to retain their seats in most of drawback for mainstream acceptance Midlands have .been the most heavily; the areas targeted. But disengagement of the BNFs politics, its. criticisms ofe targeted, as the BNP continues to take from communities, and the promotion a privatisation agenda led by Labour advantage of spiraling poverty to try of policies directly harming working and given impetus by private interests, and cement influence, Leeds and people has severely weakened their its attacks on cronyism? defence of Birmingham in particular look set for capacity to. present themselyeS^as. a free speech and socialist-sounding clashes between established parties and more humane choice to the BNP. policies have appealed to a large Nick Griffin’s new-look BNP with 73- Leaked documents have hinted at seetph seats being contestedbetween them. difficulties in finding enough active Simultaneously, in its most recent Coverage o f the nominations has support in conflict areas. In campaigning, it has made efforts to remained subdued in the major media, Birmingham, a leaked letter to the look more business-friendly, by as previous high-profile denuncia TUC noted a lack of Labour party increasingits presence in rural areas, tions have failed to severely blunt its activists and an elderly turnout. The putting forward candidates tP try and momentum, but anti-fasdst campaigning Tories meanwhile had a document . capitalise on the liberal shift of David has nevertheless begun in the run-up leakedexplaining some of their anti- Cameron’s Tories. to 6th May- BNP tactics, which rely on presenting Its success in distancing itself from M ost high-profilewill be the efforts . themselves as “keeping the BNP out” the worst excesses of its days with of Searchlight, the largely discredited rather than really challenging them John Tyndall, and pledge against anti-fasdst magazine headed by Gerry ideologically. violence have strengthened its position Gable whose extensive links with the , Repeated efforts from mainstream comparison to the right wing parties BNP standings Region Candidates Highest-activity districts (candidates) viewpoints at a grassroots level be pointing. Campaigning is not for Leeds (33) Kirktees (22) 207 h-pbhfrdal • p&rty^ but- to;^®^dftlchje West Midlands Birmingham (40) Coventry (17) ^dewpk>mt the BNP- represents i While the vote remains low, what seems to be agrowing acceptance - if East Midlands 102 Chamwood (14) Lincoln city (12) ; 'nohactive support^of the BNP ^couldsuggest a growing far-right -■ North East Sunderland (25) Sedgefield (17) mdicalisation which-must be Stepped^ East on the ground;.^: 58 Chichester (5) Maidstone (5) Go.m^antlfeiOrguktormore^inforrTiatiori . about:aharchisf,a^^ phonel07880 6&7c831e.^ * A poet and antfcmR Spring into Action which would -endure until his .death in anthology containing two more of heft precursontoAe majoSftadieal r ftGuerilla planters plant tree and O liv e D e h n \9%%f£he pair worked togetbenon poems* 'Wn^itable'G^ environmental: event^oft^ shrub seedlings, plants?and seed' (29th September 1914~31st March 2007) numerous x2ampa3^s,most f^o.usfy out just before her death. Ahas taken ptece ih: Nottingham bombsfseeds mixed in clay) mainly in for the freedom o f -Soviet: vdissident A jointly published recorded'-Work,: - unused^' abandonedspaces^- fter a lifetime of true worth, Vkdimir Bukovskyin the ' ~ MytMdfft&hMfysMffyw lAcfidh^'u:' In an acuon to. aecdmpany the week, bound up with her poetry and her Throughout the. next years 'they 2002 with her daughter Jehane; and The evehthascdlledon threes climate activists managed to' stop some Awillingness to change the world, - remained dedicated &ofhe cause,of featured the pan reciting their ownA^s : separate buildings’ in th^^ty.^0? host a operations at Fndclifre onSo^EoW ^: •; the writer Olive Dehn has died at the justice and anarchism, fighting against poetry, including$2#*c>J6 Dehn’S'on one wide-rahgftofrevents-fromguerrilla Station'after climbing onto conveyer- age o f 92. not only western capitalism but the side and 16 of her daughter’s on the gardening to conununitylcompost and belts and dumper trucks inside the Born in Manchester; Dehn was sent -Soviet staiercapitalist model as well, other. bike maintaihahee. Th&Stimac centre plant on 10th April. The power station to Germany, to leamcockery. (education Olive remained highly active for most ^' vOUve, a tenacious activist and highly andAsbo^scJuatted'Sociairce both v. is located just outside Nottingham and being seen as a poinfless-forawoman) of her life, and after David Markham’s talented writer; combined her writing helped with the. event,; which took place is the third biggest emitter of CO^ as Nazism began to rise to power, and death she took the Central Electricity with work on the family farm in East at a specially -occupied: Venue at the esxr emissions in the UK. washed little time in getting herself sent Sussex; which was tended organically^ : J.B.^pray factory’in Radford. The blockade lasted for three hours back when ,a poem sent to ing with the government to make . - and which she continued to run in one: |||Spring -1 and eleven-people^^e^arrested^aU o f * xoagaTineyGpebbelchen^was plutonium for the making of nuclear form-or another until her final days^- the’ large numberof closed properties which1 were later released. intercepted-by the German authorities weapons” in T9S8, She was. also involved They leave behind four children,' in Nottingham — around ^iO.O^uncil The owner oft the plant, E-G>n, said . in deported 'under as a contributor in the' pubbcatiOn of PetravKika, Jehane and Sonia, .three o f buildings are lying empty*at anyone-' operations ran as normal and that their andd^guard for;.tbe piece, which th e& c^ ev^ anthojtagy-Of anarchist : whom are famous in theinown fight.. ; time; envfroimiehtal''tecord is gOod with ridiculed fasci&m. poetry in 1994; IVisibhs^of Poesy^ She remained an anarchist until the The event showcased ejotetirig projects aiming to be a elean coalfired power ;A mfentedwr^e^ Dehxfs^ works, were Along wfth individual poems, and day she died. -Her story* and her Works*, in Nottingham including Coufitry .Parks* station* Aspokeswomamfor the articles, she wrote i^h^l^^nxdsdjfel^ should stand as. an example, off how- a allotment jprojeccs and the Attenborough protesters saidr "Putting-ia^^ife on Tor children* between 193$ aftd 19$%:> lifeicah arid should be lived^m the Nature Sfraw-balehnddi^^ individuals tO' reduce • eniisslons when brandi^aa^an^^ DayidMaridbam, her last beingGood-bye Day .She pursuit of freedom and a better world. foraging; complete with a-history of itft coiftpanies like E-Oxi are profiting from .a n ^ her husband died* ; -Wi$ioos>of'pb&yf ? : connection^ swby^ this polluting industry fe obscene and -Cdfrmitte (a famous anti-waft but sav^a collection Of heTwdiks^©«£ ■ " Dehhfe’iGottld, > -the.ag^;|^1^^m0hg“dther^0rksho^; -irresponSib^^ notbe burning group in the 1960s), in a relationship o f my mind published last year and an llpuftonil^ ^coal^ intheotv^ty^first rcen ^ 4 Freedom 2 1 st April 2007 News Jute mills out on Mayday? An indefinite strike has been called by workers in Bangladesh as it approaches three months since they were last paid n the latest clash between Jute mill is used mainly in rope and packaging 1. In the most recent confBct on A pril 7, som e 5,600 workers in Bangladesh and the such as sack cloth. workers and em ployees of the mill strike after not retiev- Istate-owned Bangladesh Jute Mills The last decade has seen a three-way ing wages for ten weeks. 10,000 workers sutxriti a writ Corporation, 5,000 workers have walked battle between the government, which ten complaint to the local arm y camp in protest against alleged torture and failure of the m B authorises to pay out of the UMC Jute Mills in Narsingdi runs the massive Jute mills as a state- w a g e s. District (see picture) on indefinite strike. owned enterprise, international interests The massive mill complex ground to 2. M arch 20: 5,000 workers are thrown out of work after attempting to force privatisation of the the closure of the Sirajganj Oaurni Jute M3fs, one of the a halt after workers struck over unpaid potentially highly profitable trade, and largest enterprises in the region. wages, in a third major conflict over the organised labour attempting to force up 3. In Septem ber 2006 25,000 workers from eight m ft in same issue in just eight months. Nearby wages and increase job security. Khulna begin a two-day strike. They demand payment of shops and subsidiaries have also closed The situation is complicated by wage arrears and the re-opening of dosed jute rrtk. due to the strike. Hundreds are injured and at least one person kBed in massive corruption within the sector riots. In the north, workers at the Ouaum i Jute MW (2) Alongside the main dispute, another with state managers, union bosses and come out on one-day strike with simitar demands. 10,000 workers have laid charges at government officials skimming vast 4. May 22 2006: W orkers at Universal Garments United the feet of managers who they say are sums of money off the top. gather at the factory to demand payment of three corrupt and looting profits at their This corruption is so problematic months owed back wages. They are attacked by security staff. They call out nearby m l workers for support By expense in connivance with senior that although Bangladesh holds a huge the afternoon hundreds of other factories join the strikes, trade union officials, while enforcing and influential chunk of a guaranteed Two are torched and hundreds ransacked. Eventually ever higher workloads. market, while paying minimal wages - the clashes escalate and cops respond with buftets. S140m damage is done and government is forced to The workforce has not received usually far in arrears - it has relent and support unionisation demands. wages from UMC in over ten weeks, nevertheless been haemorrhaging 5. M a y 2 0 0 6 : in S u p e r in th e G a z jp o u r d istrict o f D h a k a and in the BSCIC Industrial Area it is money. Lobbyists for international 1.000 garment workers strike on behatf of arrested cot- alleged this has gone hand m hand with business have succeeded In turmng"this in the farinrv % ‘kStTr ' power and water supplies. W orkers fight m e* way out f l beatings of trade union militants, and situation to their advantage, pushing barricade the highwayand fight police. One person w as the enforcement of 12-houra working the government into an attempted killed and 70 others are injured. week (the maximum is supposed to be privatisation of much of the Jute mill 6. 2005: The planned privatisation of the Satrang Textile eight) without overtime pay, sickness network. Mil in Tongi is blocked after a fierce-fought campaign benefits, and with the threat of sacking Conditions in Bangladeshi Jute mills found legal issues over the land u se . if they are off sick for an entire day. are among the worst in the world, and 7. The Adamjee Jute Mills, which employed 26,000 peo In their complaint, the workers signed of two million workers in the sector ple at their height are closed in 2002 after a m assive pitched battle between the state owners and the labour a declaration that one company director most work for starvation wages of $20 m o v e m e n t mercilessly brutalised two workers, a month or less - under half minimum Harun-ar-Rashjd and Akash, after calling wage. There are no worker’s rights. them into his office on 5th April. Although unionisation has been progress workers, according to the Democratic to this has in recent years been the The in 2002, is unclear but recent news Jute mills arc the single largest employ ing since a showdown in May last year Workers Party “They act more like National Garment Workers Federation, has suggested the union is trying to ing industry in Bangladesh and the final helped force the government to bring in extortionists, taking money from which claimed a membership of around move the industry towards a ‘multi- sector in a trade which spans the nation, union rights, corruption in the existing management to keep the employees in 20,000 in 2004. The current status of stakeholder’ approach where workers’ farming and refining around 15% of union structure continues to undermine line while at the same time collecting the union, which briefly communicated representatives, trade unions, factory the world supply and thus setting inter militancy in the sector. dues from their members.” over possible affiliation to the owners and the buyers negotiate over national prices for the product, which Of 16 unions representing garment The much heralded major exception anarcho-syndicalist international IWA terms and conditions. US notes Indymedia libels? he protests m 1999 against the judgement but their insurers advised ‘Intelligence’ Unit perceived them to be wo separate court cases against When it was discovered the image was World Trade Organisation (WTO) the settlement. anarchists. Agents in civilian clothes online newsgroup Indymedia and also hosted on a Brazilian server, the in Seattle, Washington, were a isolated the detainees and questioned T its supporters look set to come to Vatican switched its efforts there and turning point for many: alternative Surveillance them about any protests they had a head over the next month as have filed a letter of request that the strategies for demonstrating emerged Giant retailer Wal-Mart seems to be attended, which contacts each had spent prosecutors in Brazil and Lille accuse Brazilian superior court of justice which were to be used with effect at mounting a remarkably sophisticated time with recently, what their political them of libel. consider prosecution. subsequent WTO ‘events’. But many surveillance operation on their views were and the significance of Indymedia, which hosts collectives In Lille, a former volunteer for the were arrested that December - nearly employees, on journalists, critics and their tattoos and slogans. They were and individual contributors from all local Indymedia collective is to be eight years ago - in Seattle’s Westlake even shareholders. Bruce Gabbard (now instructed to reveal any such ’hidden’ over the world on its servers, is being prosecuted over an alleged defamation Park. dismissed) admitted to helping to run body decorations, brought to trial in Brazil over an of the police after writing an article on At the beginning of April this year, the ‘project’ which has been logging web After the incident and follow up alleged defamatory image which has police raids against immigrants at the authorities in the city agreed to usage and intercepting and recording protests, local law enforcement denied been altered to show Pope Benedict Calais in 2004. pay $1 million to 160 of those good phone calls and emails between that this illegal stup and search - or XVI as a nazi and accompanied by the The defendant, whose charges were people and seal their records, officially employees and the press. Further Wal- indeed anything like it - had ever taken line “Nazi pope - happiness to all the brought by the leader of the CRS clearing their names. Attorney Tyler mart infiltrated (presumably illegally) place. Now, though, the protesters are faithful. After the anti-communist (Republican Company of Public Weaver said, “1 am hopeful that this the pressure group Up Against the Wal suing the police with the aid of the reactionary, now comes the ultra Security) and by Dominique Villepin case will send a message not only to by sending ‘long-haired, hippie-looking' DC-based Parrncrship for Civil Justice. reactionary Nazi”. has been identified as the ‘director’ of the City of Seattle but to cities around Wal-Mart staff to the group's meetings. The partnership’s Mara Verheyden- The image was originally posted in Indymedia Lille and thus as the target the country that mass arrests of Hilliard comments: “Law enforcement Italy, and gained some notoriety when for prosecution, despite the stated peaceful, law-abiding protesters will Because they wear black can’t be in the business of collecting it was publicly condemned by the policy of Indymedia itself that it runs not and cannot be tolerated.” The city Lastly, police logs were unearthed and purely political information without Catholic church, who tried and failed on a non-hierarchical basis. has already had to find $800,000 to released this April pertaining to an any allegation of criminal activity and to use an obsolete piece of legislation Indymedia Lille have released a settle multiple claims involving police incident five years ago: in 2002 a group without any criminal basis. But that’s against 'contempt against a minister statement, saying: “The indymedia behaviour during the same events. At of war protesters in a Washington DC exactly what’s happening here and for the Catholic faith’ to shut down network is a true countervailing power the same time, though, City officials parking garage was stopped, detained exactly what we think is happening the website when it was established to the mainstream, and it is this which made it plain that they believed they and interrogated I largely because some around the country." as satire (and not libellous) under the police force and judiciary want to could have appealed against this were wearing black, and the secret FBI Louis Further Italian law. attack.” MrtfiiTi FYI 2L81 u -£d£ff 5 In this exclusive extract from the work of Dave Douglass, he looks at how ‘unofficial’ unionismbeat employers vents on ?pc Liverpool increased wages, shorter hours and wiwrcom 'm the iS7 W si-'W sfk was § 7ee m m m expressed riieir astonishment that glass jdenriry wi. icb eronsawiaed erode, workers were still going on strike. In Liverpool dockers at work in jpg©®?, Thf strikes of 1872 were ' April 1876 The'Jowniil O f Commerce Out a o-ucroaosm of the developing reported: “Yesterday morning a strike reduction in wages. On the 1st April a l,4d0 congregated • refusing ro go in on Posters containing rhe new hours national s^cador,. TM faehiwe, a of the most unexpected character placard Was posted very prominently the new terms. It was rumoured that had been-posted on all dockSj. by the ;>sde Ihwpp |^sper ag the period, had occurred in Li vcrpool, and unless along' the docks to the effrix that Ori the' move-had been initiated hy the - $th all of these bills had been - measures of a conciliatory kind are and after Monday 3rd April, the hours arch ‘militants’ among the masters remoyed,; much to the blushes o f the ” i uc sp.ru o: .* lv unro$?Sl^t is cak tug speedily taken, it is feared that a great worked for stevedores, dock porters Messers Durant and Mack, although press. The men subsequently resumed iS/wa&M, of ad sorts of employed | deaf of inconvenience and annoyance and quay men would be from seven they denied it and issued a £20 reward i work at the previous hours, all im m , sages, oner. aeteatu$ and maid* j will be e^erieneed fey several of the o’clock in the morning until statin the to whoever could track down the increases, in work load.having been servants amt/ug die rest. The 'domestics’ ■Adanrie iseawnsb^p companies, whose evening, and on Saturdays from seven people who first started blaming them withdrawn. Finally when further Of L>..r>dce nave sac a» cxajv.iXc which vessels are advertised to leave until five; instead of hitherto from for it. placards went up withdrawing thfe is s-re at, spread southwards, hi many Lverpo^ this week for New Vferk and seven until five and on Saturdays from The day after a fire broke our .on the earlier changes the men could claim;d re je c t* , n o dt*uix., a service in families Other ports,*’ seven until four. steamship Andean, a vessel belonging' total victory ro their-action. as >' iy'* 1 \ iHjigj ii >i paid Actually, dockers had struck in d This was in essence an attempt by to the West India and Pacific -The victory :of the dockers or 1826 j wildcat, hence ‘the unexpected character*. the masters to cake the workers back Steamship Company. She had been - is a clear demonstration of the way in **3^;« pwjifou *4 Dockers strikes on Liverpool’s water- | to the pre-l&fid conditions of labour. inward bound from Port-au-Prince . ' which large'groups Orworkeisaroc ■Sffi a_0;ccted «o an eudlcis drudgery -front bad not been, nor were they, A 4pm finish on a Saturday had been laded with cotton. The Liverpool Mwl -Capable of moving in a common SrdfuiggKyiTd horn slavery. The men unusual features o f the port’s life. a crucial part of the demands of ’66. .. reported “No clue has been discovered direction even without the benefit of servams wim axs at hcamtrtgwm to This shrike was of a different nature The men for their part were not as to the origins of the fire. The hold . formal co-ordination. The reduction #»Sfu!SSthor gwvaoaes were rtdd py than previous ones, h oweyer,in that it prepared to return to the conditions of of the steamer had been closed since ■ ’ noriees had been,served rit the. North ■ ■ Sbeir shairrmu. mar the*t doodsraofl is was defensive. the past and the day the masters* Saturday last and non©;Of«the.'eargo:: End only, here no union organisation *«l«9VKorsc o.u.. mac aif slaves’. They The owners and masters were trying placards went up, so did the notices has been disturbed.” existed. The employers thought they . "UVC ikaT/icd a Ui.it,;. t f l « *-.p/;se of to pass, as they have done before and for several meetings that night. Meetings were held on the ^Saturday were, hitring-the weakest link and , ftgp6B>amd fa^m en., javtfeftfa since, the losses of a national recession The dockers unanimously decided to at which it was decided unanimously, starting a chain o f reduction right y ooms, gardtrwrs and peters. The in trade upon the hacks of their strike on Monday unless the notices by stevedores, porters and quay through the docks. The men were tqppas tdduverpoei are ot. ^ k e CP workers, aa such they bad instructed had been taken down by the same porters not to work at the proposed certainly without the benefit oi.a " “'IS H h e r o»' tw os k ,—-uud, h ,r the dockers that they were to receive a people who had put them up. Work hours. The local press were confident, union no matter how loosely one uSes was entirely suspended at the vessels and said so,- the term, they-yycre riot Jiaweyer belonging to the White Star Company, that the depressed state of shipping disunited; their laboUr rind^sdae^was The National Company, Guion and employment must render the their ‘union’. The common assault Company, The Cunard Company, masters victorious. Mowevet The press served to weld the men into a dose ? Burns and Maelvcn The Dominion was meckiy to announce on the 5th knit, ‘associariotf^ofcommon.-'interesr.- Company, Richardson Spence and Co, that Messrs Burns and Mac Iver When they struck they didsodn an Allen Bros, and Co, The Inman returned to the old conditions and the 'affinariye* manner rather than an Company, and several of the men accordingly returned to work. organised way. •. j Mediterranean Lines including Messrs As soon as the strike had started Mr Thk-aifinatiye. bond howeverwas, - f Leyland and Co, and the South Harvcr the proprietor of a public equal to the strength of the employers, j American Steamship Companies. The house right opposite the gates of the coupled as it had been with 'the - j whole of the men who were employed Bramlcy-Moor Dock posted the immediacy of die ‘w ddat’. The by Messrs Durant and Mack, master following notice in his window: .. employers may have gambled that the porters end stevedores numbering “Notice - Men that ate on strike and impact of the changes take cime | 1,8 0 0 men struck right away. tb it have used this ^asKhsliajen^. to sink in, char dri ladt“dt o)tg3^£tri-;' Many of the placard* had been torn . during the last six m or^s .as rion.cKvWouldgive diem .fime,to get j down in anger and as such quite a few customers can have their pint of ale their ships away before unrest of the men turned up m ignorance of and bread and cheese tVcc every day manifested itsrifi however the swiftness the reduction, As soon as they got to from twelve to dneniif} jfiaWet’f' ' 'arid- directness of the mw’s respor^fr - ' know however they struck On the Monday and Tuesday caught the masters and owners on immediately, In the neighbourhood of hundreds of his customers were served guard and all shipping in the port as Juiw | ^ 2 $ the Wellington nock) seething like as promised free of cost. became at once stranded. Freedom 21s i Commentary was indeed the CGT in Spain. Okay later) it he supported NATO; as did muscle behind companies like Cabot, IWA was a split rather than a direct Middleton Murray (previously on the who hosted a ‘debt collections expulsion but as it was decided bycommunitarian anarcho-pacifisr wing conference’ recently jointly organized FREEDOM corrections Congress to welcome the CNT as of the ILP). with industry tag, Credit Today, the Volume 68 Number 08 I would like to correct a couple of opposed to the CGT, again the George Plume (who had during the conference had workshops like; ‘What misapprehensions in the article on , meaning isn’t exactly far o ff the mark.war edited Solidarity, and had been every debt collections manager wants ‘1,000 revolutionary songs in your And o f course while the SAC the only leftist anti-militarist tried for for Christmas’. Meanwhile possible Anarchism pocket’ (page 4 offreed o m 24th , technically left, l don’t think anyone’s treason, not just subversion at the end new powers for bailiffs to enter Anarchists work towards a society of March 2007). It is not true or fair to under any illusion that expulsion of the war) supported NATO and houses will make ‘debt recovery’ that m * mutual aid and voluntary co-operation. say that the IWA has ‘outlawed’ the wouldn’t have followed had they joined the Tories, as also - however much easier and profits that much We reject government, and all forms CNT-Vignoles of France. The IWA simply stayed. much he subsequently denied it - did bigger. of exploitation and domination. neither has the power or the wish to The ins and outs can be argued (ex-Black Flag editor) Melrzer. The amount of consumer debt! in Freedom Press is an independent illegalise any anion. That there are (and no doubt will be in years to No doubt there were many others the UK would be enough to buy you anarchist publisher founded in 1886. tensions between the Vignoles and the come), but to clarify, 1 don’t think thesuch. A few, such as David Prude, 236 years of food for the world’s Besides this newspaper; which comes IWA is evident. In part this stems for IWA is sectarian in itself (members reacted so far the other way that they starving children or keep the Iraq war out every two weeks, we produce books their (until recent) continued use of and affiliates are sometimes a became apologists for Stalinism. going for 23 years. Ethical on all aspects of anarchist theory and the IWA name as if they were still different matter!). When its terms and No doubt we would rather pull a consumption and Fairer Trade are practice - seie'our website for a full list. part of the International. conditions are broken there seem toveil over this part of our history (just increasingly being used to justify In our building in Bast London we run The article also talks of “other be ample investigations, votes etc, andas it is uncomfortable remembering continued guilt-tree consumption, so Britain’s biggest anarchist bookshop expelled IWA sections”. What precisely while 'strict’ I think can be applied that on Kropotkin supported the First hey why not stick those hemp trousers and host the Autonomy Club meeting are these? Maybe the article intimates occasion, that’s not necessarily a badWorld Wat, as did the former editors on your Greenpeace credit card? But room and the Freedom Hacklab open- the SAC of Sweden. The SAC was not thing. of the Torch) but doing so would Fair Trade is becoming more about access IT space. expelled from the IWA - it left of its hardly be an anarchist action. big business than small producers: iOur aim ;fs to explain anarchism own accord given the serious Laurens Otter Now, even Nestle is moving in on the more widely and to show that people differences in strategy that had grown Shameful NATO fair trade game, L’Oreal have bought can work together and use direct up. Maybe the article is hinting at the the Body Shop and Bono Ltd. action to practically improve our lives Spanish CGT? The CGT, as it became secrets Dealing with launched the ‘Product RED’ credit and build ,a better .world. after losing die batde to usurp the Three issues of your paper arrived card last year (build up your own fre e d o m 's editors wish to present a CNT’s name in a manufactured split today, for which thanks. I fear the debt debt white they give a penny a time to broad range of anarchist thought, and in the late 1970s, was never a part of 10th February quiz is over- With £1,300,000,000,000 of Africa). cas^U^die^yiews ejqpressed in the .paper the i m l l complimentary to the movement on consumer debt in the UK, before We need to support each other. am^diOSgjS the individual■ contributors The article itself seems to hint that the question of attitudes to NATO. Christmas, and with the January sales What is needed is a fight back against . dSq&eijqfjthe the IWAds somehow a miserly or One of your correspondents does on top there’s plenty more stuff for us the debt profiteers. We need a mass editorial collective. seetatian- organisation. On the mention how anarchist kibbutzim to buy with so called ‘interest free non-payment campaign like the one fembcarv. it- has le a p t that it is went pro-NATO. credit’ to help us get what we want that defeated the poll tax. We need mecgsarV'to defend itself against Gaston Laval supported NATO as straight away. neighbours to help defend each other i i S l i a S jEfeoste-and organisations dial seek to ■did Augustin Souchy; the ‘Free Society Overdrafts, bank loans and credit from bailiffs and debt collectors. It’s Another year, another Mayday comes j|^ 3 ^ -n a m e jafedte .IWAjqif of its of Chicago’ (a group of mainly ■cards aue keeping the world economy not going to be easybuc we need to around, and it’s a good time to look member sections to advance their own anarrhisr ^viW in the USA, whose bouncing along. The plasma telly start somewhere. c h a r A a r e - . numbers embraced -Some very major ...I might cosr agrand, buc w it u y h n ^ L §jgJ£^£BA^ls_on 0S4S 222570 (local Freedom Press was founded in the same yearns the Haymarket riots, andI construction of a revolutionary out a symposium pamphlet in the I (at no extra cost, of course). And how Haringey Solidarity Group .can boast one o f the proudest pedigrees anarchpsyndicalist movement that has early fifties, most of whose authors much unsolicited post have you of any anarchist (or even leftist, for that direct action as its modus operandi came down in favour of NATO, albeit thrown away (well, recycled) offering ma tier) .organisation in the world. and libertarian communism as its reluctandy. you instant access to consumerist The paper has hosted or launched ;'goak|r. Partisan Review which briefly heaven with an unsecured personal some o fthe greats of libertarian theory In^lidariry, turned from Trotskyism to anarchism, loan? Everyone from Tescos, the and practice across the UK and the Richard Cleminson then moved to support for NATO RAC, and millions of families are world. Founder Charlotte Wilson, Peter international Secretary, SF-iWA though many of its writers later using credit just to keep above the Kropotkin the historical big beast of though better of it and were major breadline. anarchist-communism, Ethel Macdonald MutkM^ihoteis(WkMiisrfciridb.dm opponents of the Vietnam war. Surrounded by multi-million pound the.celebrated chromclerof-che;Spahish ^^^^^^.Rdch^r^rtsorryaf-the-artiek Dwight Macdonald broke from advertising campaigns using the latest -■Civil War; publishing giant and agitator sounded that way it certainly wasn’t these latter; opposing NATO, and psychological gimmickry to persuade m bSm ©uy-AJdred, Vernon Bkbards^daeddKr- launched Politics as an anarchist you to keep them cash registers nationaUym^fa^dsCohn WMd,.T5§r,v to find new ways to describe old journal, but he eventually succumbed. ringing, no wonder so many people ;ClaissiStrug^.e .titan MurrayBqpkchiiii, When the CIA-sponsored Congress find themselves out of their depth. f c j d t - x ( and of course Noam Chomsky have fqK.Cultural Freedom was launched, Personal lending is one of the few its first issues contained articles from aspects..of banks’ financial behaviour all p m p cu ^ p ark r-:f^hhel3fegK-«-'; More recently celebrated anti-prison iaM agtir-; I Rosmei; Herbert Read and Isiah that isn’t rigorously controlled by law M ayday Berlin (which last remained pro- - instead it’s governed by a voluntary /■ampaigneri Mark JBqE^lsy,' -Dgpp The Jd0^i0p0^}irtm ta* page 1 . NiCTOy.even during the Vietnam ■ code of conduct. Banks and other Red’ Douglass, the strictly state legislative sense (as if an in the crowd, killing police and war campaigner Milan Rai, and Iain anarcho-syndicalist international W a r j - i c c . loan sharks activity chase those with a demonstrators, eight anarchists were Mackayfdriving force of the anarchist would need such a formality) but The SAC (Swedish history oftnot being able to handle arrested and brought to the dock in FA@y>faa8iiexe«rgibumd;^ye'i^nBnue.. syndicalist union)J->;»fhich,'Contrary • ■ their financeslsLower down the food what became one of the most to journey with the movement through warned against even talking to them.to your article on itIpaaerS^Br^doinia chain & n e lending organisations infamous show-trials in the history of ■ If we were being picky o f course, trawl through a court listings looking organised labour. It’s a record of which we can be the early ’50s - was seen as pro- ffqr-xhoSjgpn; the receiving end of No evidence was given, but Spies, could be correct, as Vignoles have NATO (two break-away factions left county court judgements to make Parsons, Fischer and Engel were been placed outside the scope o f the thS)- g^e£ptus ;offersj:of rhe “turn all your nevertheless found guilty and hanged. never confirmed by vote. little problems into one big problem’ Linng killed himself in his cell while Contact details .generally Schwab, Fielden and Neebe were ^^dom '^^ |g # ^^techapel High classed as an anarchist sympathiser; The ‘Home Credit’industry is ■ subsequently pardoned Street, London jg $ fiS g 9 | iind .(diough he^obviously. changed. ■booming-.and no wonder - it typically Telefax: 020 7247 9249 charges its unemployed borrowers www.freedompress.org.uk interest rates-of more than 400%! Quiz answers Loan sharks-like Brighthpgsejand 1. He threw dollar bills on to the trading Prudential are expanding across £too& leading to a melee as everyone Subscriptions: [email protected] Europe.. Those making the cash are scrambled for the money. B ookshop: [email protected] the usual-suspects based in London)* ||F rem the protestabo, or declaration, boardroom*- The ‘debt sale and naa$^ Luther and his [email protected] . purchase’ market in the UK has been followed against a decree of the Diet of Who said “^jM edn all the revolutionary vanguards of this planet"? Find out In the new Anarchist Quiz Book from Freedom Press, compiled mushrooming, as financial institutions ;v&ares of the Holy Roman Empire in b y M a rtin H ow ard a n d illustrated b y P a u l Petard. buy up banks’'debts for a fraction of \ decree affirmed the Diet of Next issue S o m e s a y th at it s h o u ld n o t b e the h ig h e st priority o f a revo lutionary their;y(alt>e- to then- hassle the hell out- v earlier resolution against the The neyTj«gS[y; will Vy^ dariyj-^Th May of the debtors, to. pay Up,-Around Refonnationv 2007 and the last day, to' get copy in us encourages an enquiring m ind to find out more, than all the better. £4.5biIlion worth of debt has been The Army. Probably saved a lot of ~ So agitate, educate and organise, all in this very handy question for that issue will be Thursday sold fo racu t pr ice £300million, and money as it couldn't have beaten the and answer format! Send articles to us by email to copy® s& fe^ohectors-haytos^eezed- almost only feasible external agressor. freedompress.org.uk or by post to Th$i IgSSflrnilfioti out d&pfoplc in debt. 4. Abortion, though the gains in Catalonia Editors, Freedom, 84b Whitechapel . iF^dom Babel, though a mainstream flick, attempts a subtlety rarely seen in the cinema we know and love, says Tom Jennings his third collaboration with McGuffin of power from the barrel of writer Guillermo Arriaga a gun; common threads being desires concludes Alejandro and conflicts associated with love and Gonzales Inarritu’s family. Then, disparities of wealth and depiction of contemporary mobility massively influence both the collisions of fate, upping scale of fulfilment that can realistically the stakes from class be sought and the consequences of divisions in Mexico City [Amovesmistakes and misfortunes. So, when a TPetros, 2000) and suburban US subsistence lifestyle encounters modern ruminations on the meaning and value Third World realpolitik, embryonic of existence (2 1 Grams, 2003) to imaginings of a fuller, safer future are Babel’s worldwide web of violent stillborn. correlation. Meanwhile, the neo-colonial service Here a Berber peasant family are economy vampirises its serfs in a framed as terrorists when an American callous class apartheid; whereas the tourist is accidentally wounded, relatively affluent are blind to the derailing her husband’s attempt to human costs of what they take for salve their unhappiness, while back granted. Insulated by consumerism, home their two kids and illegal nanny their self-obsession allows them fall foul of border police after neither to connect meaningfully with attending a Tijuana wedding. each other nor avoid trampling over Interspersed with these escalating the less fortunate upon whom their disasters, a well-off Tokyo deaf-mute comfort depends. juggles frustrated teenage sexuality, However; the miscommunication grief at her mother’s suicide and the hinted in the biblical title flows not neglectfulness of her father - whose from faulty translation between generosity, it transpires, originally set cultures or linguistic systems, but the the story in motion. Drawn in by contradictions of underlying social and acute cinematography and sympathetic political subtexts - the conceptual performances, the deft manipulation of frameworks shaping our understanding narrative fragments and jum bled rime- and action. Events hinge on the iujfi! gsarapis the viewer fo^pondec— - contrasting worldviews and life-chances. corresponding institutional discourses more tragic for those whose interests fabrics, but such ambition is rare liberal marketing hype suggests - which regulate lives and constrain are marginalised most. in a mainstream cinema preferring though the latter hoodwinked the A world within ear shot potential, yielding misery for rich and Babel may be scarcely able to simplistic conspiracies and cartoonish critics who, in seeing only pretension, These diverse melodramas across the poor alike — the texture of which capture the deep structures of power heroics. merely confirmed their own. planet are woven with the pointed varies considerably, with outcomes radiating globally through social It’s also much subtler than the fluffy www.tomjennings.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk MAGAZINES Two new issues of long-running issues. Passing swiftly over the lead review of Seidman’s book on the CNT movement’. Many of the authors in There’s also a book review of Harold anarchist magazines have appeared article, there are items on in Spain, a basic critique of capitalism (he mag will be familiar to readers of Barclay’s autobiography, Jonathan recendy. casualisation, the National Health and ‘multi-culturalism’. Freedom. Brian Morris contributes a Simcock on language, Patrick Cullen Service (including a very useful piece piece on ‘Islam and Anarchism’ (which on student radicalism in London (or Direct Action on what Foundation Trusts are and Total Liberty is actually a review of v l4 /l of the lack of), Dick Frost on myth and a #38 (Spring 2007), £1.50 what they mean for the future of the v5/4 (Spring/Summer 2007), Anarchist Studies), Richard Griffin couple of other pieces. Very much a return to basics (and health service,) and Tescos. £1.00 writes on ‘Rights and Wrongs’ and Whatever your personal take on form) for the magazine of the The International aspect is covered Billed as a journal of evolutionary some older readers may remember anarchism, both these publications will Solidarity Federation. The mag has with articles on workers struggles in anarchism, this is very much a Colin Johnson, who has an item have something that should stimulate been given a redesign and the articles Iraq, contemporary Spain, Argentina magazine devoted to the ‘idea’ of advocating a positive definition of both thought and action. are more focused on SolFed’s core and Oaxaca in Mexico. There’s a anarchism as opposed to the ‘active anarchism. Richard Alexander ART The G’ Word fantasies, and generally inventively concessions to ‘white cube’ architecture’s social networks rather than individual ‘official’ contours of geography, Baltic Centre for Contemporary troubling renunciations of the clinical bleaching out of passion in creative genius, the collective nature of ownership and activity. Whereas illegal Art, Gateshead domesticated surfaces of institutions rarefied distance from the fragmented the work was further emphasised by a graffiti is only anti-social if the and egos. This 360-degree in-your-face packaging of sanitised art. speeded-up video projection in a side obscenities of modern capitalism Postscripting the disappointing Spank sensory riot of colour and shape urged room showing its convivial accomplish represent an otherwise healthy urban The Monkey international street art emotional immersion, making no Bombing Babylon ment. Despite the legendary garden sullied by such artistic weeds - and design extravanganza (see Freedom, These artists typically commit competitiveness of the scene, the crucial and its subject matter routinely asserts 16th December 2006), thirteen local surreptitious ‘mindless vandalism’ role of successive overlayerings of rival otherwise, as in Zee TTK rendering graffitists filled one floor of the Baltic rather than having everything laid on - tags as substrate and embellishment the Tyneside skyline as simultaneously for ten days with massive wall pieces, and with several actively sought by the also makes explicit the sedimented alien, exotic and toxic, or Inch adding a thumping soundtrack, and a large law for their exploits, the arms-length history of sites and emphasises the architectural features to make sense of van in the middle submerged in New Line Graffiti conferred anonmyity. ongoing rebellion of daring to claim a dysfunctional gallery surface. So while aerosol bodywork. Encompassing This pragmatic necessity allowed several expressive space. bureaucrats and politicians inevitably many popular styles, most were based conventional artworld pomposities to Most of The ‘G’ Word contributors bleat about providing opportunities on conventional building blocks - be pleasingly traduced. The traditional simulated a dirty, flaking, crumbling for safe, legal locations for inoffensive expanding and exploding graphic ‘private view’ opening barred the usual background for the monstrous beauty muralism, the passionate determination signatures (tags) to transcend the grey worthy suspects in favour of a piss-up of their creations, suggesting that this and painstaking skill demonstrated here desolation of urban environments and for artists, friends and families I who was an exhibition about graffiti rather originated and developed precisely experience with vibrant spraypaint in turn comprehensively tagged the than the ‘real’ thing. But then it has no beyond the pale of polite society. dream scapes, sexualised cartoon entrance. Having ascribed authorship to proper context, specifically perverting www.tomjennings.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk the opportunity to cash in on any A Sideways Look potential trauma. (Maybe this is the Hooray for Defence Minister Des real Machiavellian reason behind the Brown! I hope he keeps his job. sale of the stories.) In poll after poll, people here are The Iranians must have been jumping asked which institution they trust. The for joy - they release the hostages and military comes out at or near the top undermine their potential enemies all nearly all the time, with politicians and in one go! But as an anarchist, I can’t political institutions usually near the help but smile at the state shooting From bottom. While I’m happy with the itself in the foot in such an obvious Donald politicians being on a par with estate way. agents and lawyers (which they often Svartfrosk Rom’s Rooum are as well) I’d like to see the armed forces a bit less popular. It’s not hard to work out why they L Press, (Freedom of Bosses Wildcat'ARC are popular - compared to most things Bookw orm the government are involved in, the military does what it sets out to. Despite notes some of its members’ dalliances in coup Unlike, say, Marxism, anarchism has plotting in the ’70s, it’s generally seen no ‘founding father’. This is one of its as above politics. Since conscription was great strengths. True enough, there are abolished, it has relied on a mixture of great anarchist writers — Bakunin, volunteers and economic conscripts, Kropotkin, Emma Goldman. Their ensuring a more professional approach genius is not in their originality, than many other countries’ military. If although they can be that, too. you ask foreign commentators about Instead, it’s in their ability to reflect on free) post 3 what is admirable about Britain, many the struggle of working class people to will say the armed forces, though of free themselves from the twin yokes of course we should remember that such capital and the State, and show that commentators are often starting from this can only happen when working a reactionary viewpoint. people act for themselves. So, it does make you wonder whether A classic introduction to anarchism Imagine if... Listings there is some sort of subversive in that stresses throughout the role of the Saint Bob sat opposite Saint A1 and 26th April Blockade of Faslane to shopping and housing development on charge of the Royal Navy’s press working class in their own liberation is glowered. commemorate Chernobyl Day, for info woodland, from 7pm to 11pm at The relations. It is unheard of for serving Rudolph Rocker’s Anarchism and “So, not content with stealing the see faslane365.org Rooms, Western Road, St Leonards, members of the armed forces to sell Anarcho-syndicalism. This pamphlet is ball from the greens, you want to take 28th April to 1st May i07 conference one minute from Warrior Square station, their stories to the press. Why did the a shorter version of Rocker’sAnarcho- my big concert idea as well!” in Paris, details at cnt-f.org. email [email protected] or Second Lord of the Admiralty, or syndicalism, and was written in the The big American, running slightly 28th April London Anarchist Forum see protectourwoodland.co.uk for info whatever Ruritanian rank it was, aftermath of the Spanish Civil War. As to seed but still with a marvellous review Sonia Johnson and Jade 18th to 20th May Projectile, a festival decide to allow the former hostages to well as offering a survey of the thought head of hair that the lank-maned DeForest’s book Out o f This World of anarchist film, culture and ideas at sell their stories. Of course, they’d of the famous men with beards, Irishman could only envy, shrugged. followed by a discussion of the sado Star and Shadow Cinema, Newcastle- been traumatised by the experience, Rocker is keen to stress that anarcho- “This is the future of the planet, Barb, masochism of everyday life, 3pm at upon-Tyne, see projectile.org.uk for though not as traumatised as many syndicalism is a movement born of who could possibly complain about the Rampart Centre, 15 Rampart details others connected to the imperial struggle, out of the coming together of that?” Street, London E l, for more see 18th to 20th May rampART Social adventure in Iraq. It must have been anarchism and revolutionary “I can!” Bob spat, his rubbery eventsandissues. bravehost.com Centre’s third birthday, at 15 Rampart particularly galling for families of the tendencies in the labour movement in features creasing up in anger. “How 1st May London May Day Street, London E l, for details of events soldiers and medics killed the day that the late nineteenth and early twentieth am I supposed to save the Africans demonstration, assemble Clerkenweli see http://rampart.co.nr the sailors and marines were released. centuries. with big concerts if you’re doing them Green, EC1 at 12 noon, to move off at 2nd June Strawberry Fair, free festival N ot a lot of takers in Fleet Street for Far from being a work of history, as well?” lpm to Trafalgar Square for rally. at Midsummer Common, Cambridge, stories from Iraqi victims of the violence, however, Rocker’s pamphlet still “Africans schmafricans, Barb, move 1st May Space Hijackers May Day see scrawherry-/air.ocg.iik either. And try getting a hearing for I speaks to us today. To those who with the times. i thoupnt you’d sorted protest. Suited and Booted — advance 6th rrv gth (Jrme G8 Sutnmrt at the British residents imprisoned in would place their faith in politicians of it all out in 2005 anyway. Remember warning of a party right in the heart of Heiligendamm on the north coast of Guantanamo. any shade, Rocker insists that to do so Barb? Live 8? Wasn’t that supposed to the corporate financial centres of Germany near Rostock, for more see The point of the sailors selling their robs “the people of their initiative by Make Poverty History or something?” London, bring concealed instruments wombles.org.uk/article200609109.php stories is not that they shouldn’t have giving them the ruinous delusion that Bob looked shifty for a few and radios, drinks, cakes and smiles to 14th to 21st July Camp for Climate had something for them, but the effect salvation always comes from above.” moments, but rallied “And what about share, spread the word and get an Action - after the success of last year’s it will have on the way that the army As anarchists, we might think we you? Carbon offsetting to ‘make up’ outfit sorted (a city worker disguise) at the Drax Power Station, this summer operates. Unlike many commentators know this. But we know a lot more for all the ecological damage this for more details see spacehijackers.org the camp will take place near to a who approach this from the view of people who don’t. Pamplets like this seven-continent concert is doing? Sure 1st to 3rd May Anarchist bookfair in target relating to aviation or the coal how bad the effect on morale will be, I are a way of brushing up our you’re paying for the artists to fly out Poznan, Poland, at the Rozbrat squat, or oil industries (to be disclosed over can only applaud the effect. It will arguments so we might be able to go with a few trees but hundreds of see http://biblioteka-poznanska.bzzz.net the next few months), for info see result in a slight breakdown of respect about persuading a few of them. thousands driving, flying to the or www.rozbrat.org climatecamp.org.uk for the institutions that make up the Bookworm concerts doesn’t come with a cheap 11th to 13th May SchNEWS Alternative armed forces. If that means they are a Rudolf Rocker’s Anarchism and Anarcho- carbon sole, Al.” Media Conference, a coming together less effective fighting force, however Syndicalism is available for £3 (post free) A1 went a bit pink. “We’re raising of independent media with discussions, marginal, it means that there will be from Freedom Press, 84b Whitechapel High awareness!” screenings, stalls, practical workshops, less likelihood of them being used in Street, London E l 7QX. Bob laughed “Yeah of your ego. plus the obligatory messy party on the □ future wars. This might be quite a Come off it Al, who doesn’t know Saturday night, at the Cowley Club, media hacklab marginal gain, but hey, at least it’s a about it except the Yankees these 12 London Road, Brighton, see Technology for social change, few less dead civilians in the next The quiz days?” schnews.org independent media, free software politician’s Boy’s Own adventure. It 1. How did Abbie Hoffman disrupt “Fuck of Barb, just fuck off, you’ve 12th May Southampton Cruelty Free and open access IT may also discourage some people from the American Stock Exchange? had your limelight, it’s my turn!” Festival, with an emphasis on fair trade, joining up - if their comrades are 2. Where do Protestants come from? As the bickering subsided, they went organic and sweatshop-free items, from Open every day more concerned with marketing their 3. What was abolished in Costa Rica back to glaring at each other. 11am to 6pm at Southampton Guildhall, from 12 noon to 6pm experiences than covering each others’ in 1948? for details email [email protected] at Freedom backs, it makes the whole exercise a 4. What was legalised in the Soviet libcom.org or see crueltyfreefestival.com 84b Whitechapel High Street lot more dangerous. Unfortunately, Union in 1920, Iceland in 1935 and 18th May Save Titnore Woods benefit this is a double-edged sword - perhaps Catalonia in 1936? to raise funds for the protest camp and www.hacklab.org.uk many people will be more attracted by Answers on page 6 A # 4 campaign near Worthing to stop a M ia r tm n c om m unity 5. organ!alng f cu fc c tor ■ rtW n f4* SUBSCRIPTION FORM STANDING ORDER FORM SUBSCRIPTION RATES Please return to Freedom, 84b Whitechapel High Street, London E l 7QX inland Europe outside outside j Send to Freedom Press, 84b Whitechapel High Street, London E l 7QX Europe Europe (surface) (airmail) i □ lease start a NEW subscription to Freedom for...... issues To the manager (your bank) Freedom (24 Issues) half price for 12 issues Bank name...... Claimants 16.00 i □ lease RENEW my subscription to Freedom for...... Issues “ - - Regular Bank address ...... ,...... 20.00 29.00 29.00 41.00 i □ enclose a donation Institutions 28.00 36.00 36.00 46.00 ...... Postcode...... 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