Category: greenleft

anti-austeritySusan PriceIssue 1249Francepensionsanti-government protestsJanuary 17, 2020On January 14–17, fresh strikes and demonstrations took place across France. According to media reports, several French ports were blocked by a 72-hour strike by members of the Confédération Générale du Travail (CGT), as part of the ongoing mass transportation strikes over Prime Minister Emanuel Macron’s attacks on the

anti-austerityJohn MullenIssue 1249Francepensionsanti-government protestsJanuary 17, 2020Millions of people on the streets around France on January 9 and 11 showed the determination of the movement to defend pensions. As well as transport workers, teachers and refinery workers — some of whom have been on strike continuously for over a month and others

ClimateYaji SpencerIssue 1249AustraliaParramattaJanuary 17, 2020Local residents and climate activists, including a large contingent of young people, marched through Parramatta on January 14 calling for serious action on climate change. Rally co-organiser Katrina James told the 600-strong crowd: “It’s really heartening to see young people have turned out to really have their

anti-government protestFarhang Jahanpour (translator)Issue 1249IranUS aggression against IranJanuary 17, 2020The following statement, translated by Farhang Jahanpour, was issued by students taking part in a protest at the Amirkabir University of Technology in Tehran on January 12. The protest followed the downing of Ukraine Flight 752 by Iranian Air Defence Unit anti-aircraft

anti-warSteve SweeneyIssue 1249Irananti-government protestsUS aggression against IranJanuary 17, 2020IRANIAN authorities blocked internet access on January 14, with pressure continuing to mount on the theocratic regime as student protests calling for a new revolution swept the country. According to the internet-tracking organisation NetBlocks, Iran experienced an outage at 5.25pm local time with

fascismGauri GandbhirIssue 1249IndiaJNURSSBharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governmentJanuary 17, 2020Students, mostly from leftist unions, at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi were brutally attacked on campus in an ambush led by a mob of right-wing thugs on January 5. About 50–100 attackers wearing masks used crude weapons such as sticks, stones,

Climate changePaul GregoireIssue 1249Bangladeshrising sea levelsinundationadaptationJanuary 17, 2020In response to Australians still caught up in the debate over whether climate change is real, Dr Saleemul Huq said he wouldn’t bother speaking with them, as they are a waste of his time. On the impact the climate crisis has already had upon

bookshistoryMark TanIssue 1249AustraliaJanuary 17, 2020Radical Perth, Militant Fremantle 2nd Ed. Edited by Charlie Fox, Alexis Vassiley, Bobbie Oliver & Lenore Layman Interventions Inc., 2019 462 pages, pb Following the success of the first edition of Radical Perth, Militant Fremantle in 2017, the editors heeded calls for the anthology to publish a second, more updated

anti-miningMargaret GleesonIssue 1249AustraliaAdaniJanuary 16, 2020Siemens CEO Joe Kaeser issued a statement on January 12 confirming the multinational conglomerate will fulfil its contract with Indian mining giant Adani to undertake signalling work for the rail link project to its proposed mega coal mine in Central Queensland. Siemens faced intense opposition after it

ClimateJeff SparrowIssue 1249Australiafar-rightJanuary 16, 2020For most people, “ecofascism” sounds nonsensical, a portmanteau made up of irreconcilable opposites. Environmentalists adhere, for the most part, to progressive politics, with fascists glorifying everything that ecologists generally oppose. The bushfire emergency has opened urgent new debates about the politics of climate change. As they

climate emergencyPeter BoyleIssue 1249Australiafire managementFirst NationsJanuary 16, 2020At the height of the fire crisis over the New Year an Aboriginal elder, who had evacuated from Lakes Entrance to Bairnsdale in Victoria, joined other evacuees in registering for emergency relief. But he was told by a St Vincent de Paul staffer that

Climatetrade unionsSteve O’BrienIssue 1249Australiaour common causeJanuary 16, 2020One of the best received speakers at the recent climate rally in Newcastle was Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) organiser Mark Cross. This is not to dismiss the powerful words spoken by the bushfire survivors, Aboriginal activists, youth leaders and environmental