Sharon presents new Greater-Land-of-Israel govt
TEL AVIV – Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will present his new government to the Knesset, Feb. 26, to ask for a parliamentary confidence vote. This follows the announcement on Feb. 24, that the Likud had signed an accord with the Shinui (Change) Party to join a Likud-led coalition, composed of Likud, Shinui and the clerical-Zionist, far right National-Religious Party (NRP). These three parties control together 61 of the 120-member Knesset.
Tripura, communists face terror and violence
TRIPURA, India – The Northeastern section of India consists of seven states: Tripura, Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim. These states, known as the “seven sisters,” are rich with beauty and natural resources. Tea and jute plantations, which extend throughout this lush land, are basic to the economy there. However for the last 14 years all of these states have been facing far-right extremism and terrorism.
Greek protesters bar NATO fleet from port
Thousands of protesters, organized by the Piraeus committee of the Greek Committee for International Peace and Détente, massed for two days of demonstrations against the presence offshore of the NATO Standing Naval Force of the Mediterranean. Protesters also targeted the Greek government and the presidency of the European Union with their slogans. Other initiators included Youth Action for Peace, the Action-Thessaloniki 2003 campaign, the left-led labor federation PAME, and dozens of other organizations.
Unions challenge Colombian president
International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) General Secretary Guy Ryder, on Feb. 7, asked Colombian President Alvaro Uribe to take action to protect human and trade union rights and to bring those who violate them to justice. With the spiraling of murders and death threats against them, Colombian trade unions are critical of the purely security-oriented policy of their government.
Bolivians demand presidents resignation
Thousands of Bolivians heeded the call of trade unions for a 48-hour general strike Feb. 17-18, to demand the resignation of President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada. They were protesting the government’s handling of the country’s worsening economic crisis, and protesting the deaths of at least 22 people in protests last week.
France, Germany propose alternative to war
CHICAGO – Indicating the widening gulf between the Bush administration and much of the nation and world over the administration’s drive to war, a leading Republican senator is saying the U.S. should let Iraq weapons inspections work.
Peace leader: Most Israelis want peace
PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil – Most Israelis want a peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian crisis, and the Bush administration’s policies are “very unhelpful,” Galia Golan, a leader of Peace Now, Israel’s oldest and largest mass peace movement, told the World.
International Criminal Court to open
The International Criminal Court (ICC) will begin operations on March 11, despite the Bush administration’s worst fears. Under the Clinton administration the United States had signed the Rome Statute, which formally began preparations for the formation of the ICC. But over a year ago under the direction of the Bush administration, the U.S. pulled out of the treaty.
So. Africans act for peace
South Africa’s Stop the War Campaign – a broad alliance of organizations from different sectors of South African society – has launched a ten-day period of intense anti-war activity aimed at bringing the maximum number of people and organizations into action against the Bush administration’s drive to attack Iraq.
Witness to history in Brazil
Early on the last day of the year, Dec. 31 2002, thousands of Brazilian workers were constructing platforms and mounting sound systems in Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia, the capital of Brazil. A historic event was about to occur in the next 48 hours – the inauguration of the new president, Luiz Inacio “Lula” da Silva, a left-wing metal worker.
