Decommissioning Posture Masks Ulster’s Last Stand

 by PAT O’ROURKEGiven the ‘spin’ placed on developments in Ireland, it is small wonder that the recent negotiations to save the Good Friday Agreement continue to cause confusion. Republicans, Unionists, the Blair government and the bourgeois press have all claimed victory and defeat, progress and set back, in almost equal measure. Every shade of opinion … [Read more…]

Aftermath of the Yugoslav War –

Intensification of all the contradictions of imperialism “War is politics continued by other (i.e., forcible) means.”This famous dictum of Clausewitz, one of the most profound writers on military questions, has received further confirmation from the latest imperialist war in the Balkans. This war started as a continuation of the imperialist peace, and the imperialist peace ending … [Read more…]

NEWS IN BRIEF

Colombia – The guerrilla advancesThe Timesof 13 July 1999 reports that thousands of FARC rebels have advanced on 25 towns in Colombia, including its capital Bogota:“Using tanks made from tractors wrapped in steel sheets, and missiles made from gas canisters … Yesterday Colombia continued under rebel siege with reports of guerrillas advancing towards Bogota by … [Read more…]

‘The Committee’

by Tim LoganSean McPhilemy’s banned book, The Committee, exposes the RUC Death Squads and their links with the ‘establishment’ in northern Ireland Sean McPhilemy’s bannedbookThe Committeemakes sensational claims of inextricable links between David Trimble and prominent members of the Unionist establishment accused of ordering the murder of political opponents.Trimble and his now-deceased constituent ‘King Rat’, the … [Read more…]

The Labour government cuts welfare benefits for the disabled

Currently between readings in the House of Lords is the Welfare Reform and Benefits Bill, the second piece of legislation introduced by the Labour government is part of the British bourgeoisie’s attack on the British welfare state (the first being the cuts in benefit to single parents last year).This new Bill voices the determination of … [Read more…]

IS THE US PLANNING A NEW KOREAN WAR

Statement by Brian Becker, Co-Chairperson US Out of Korea Committee, February 4, 1999It’s almost a half a century since the open military conflict in the Korean peninsula ended with the signing of the armistice agreement on June 27, 1953.Nearly fifty years later and no peace treaty. Why? Because the United States government wants to continue … [Read more…]

Kurdish New Year Festival

Laws of history are stronger than laws of artillery!Saturday March 20th saw the advent of the Kurdish New Year festival “Navroz”. This festival was marked by displaced Kurdish communities world wide as well as Kurds throughout Turkey: a courageous assertion of nationhood in view of the astonishing level of cultural repression there prevalent, which forbids … [Read more…]

Revocation of Med TV’s Broadcast Licence

Med TV is outraged at the decision by the Independent Television Commission (ITC) to revoke its licence. Both in written representations and in the hearing before the Commissioners on 9 April, Med TV set out a detailed programme and news restructure for the future which should have satisfied the Commission.Med TV had already been punished … [Read more…]

Blair Peach Commemoration in Southall

It is 20 years ago that Blair Peach, a socialist teacher, was murdered by the police. On 23rd April 1979 he had travelled to Southall to join thousands of others, black and white, in the protest against a National Front meeting. Thousands of police was mobilised in order to protect a mere two dozen of … [Read more…]

Reclaim our Rights

Bob Crow speaks in West LondonAssistant General Secretary of the Railworkers’ Union, the RMT, spoke at West London Trade Union Club on Sunday 25 April in support of the Campaign to Reclaim our Rights. He told the meeting that the Campaign was set up as the result of moves by the Socialist Labour Party, but with … [Read more…]