IV345 - November 2002

International Viewpoint spoke to Michel Rousseau, a member of the secretariat of the European Marches Against Unemployment, Job Insecurity and Social Exclusions about the European Social Forum in Florence. - read article...

Contrary to expectations, Luis Ignacio da Silva [’Lula’, the candidate of the Workers’ Party (PT)] was not elected in the first round of the Brazilian presidential elections on October 6, 2002. The polls, with few exceptions, indicated that he was likely to receive the 50% + 1 of valid votes necessary for a first round victory. - read article...

The PT’s results in the various elections that took place at the level of the states that make up the Brazilian federation varied considerably although there was a certain upwards tendency in the vote. - read article...

The general election that was held in Sweden on September 15, 2002 had two main characteristics. First, contrary to the European trend, the incumbent Social Democrats not only did not suffer losses in support, but made substantial gains. Secondly, the question of immigrants as a threat to society was put on the table, thanks to the profound turn to the right made by the Liberal Party. - read article...

When will the US-led war on Iraq begin? Instead of "if", ’observers’ now ask "when". But hasn’t this war already begun? During August 2002 alone, US and British bombers carried out ’10 sorties’ over Iraqi territory to bomb ’command centres’. - read article...

The reaction in the Indian media to US preparations for launching a war on Iraq has been one of surprise. Why is the US diverting its attention from the war against global terrorism in this way and risking, through such unilateralist behaviour, its goodwill? - read article...

The Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace (CNDP), India, categorically opposes the US plans to attack Iraq. This would violate international law and all norms of civilized behaviour besides causing further suffering to the Iraqi people. - read article...

Under the Koizumi Administration Japan is advancing headlong on a course toward militarisation. In this context, militarisation first means the preparation by the government of the social machinery allowing it to obtain the power to apply and activate military powers without restraint. - read article...

IV was going to press as news came in of the terrorist bombing in Bali which led to the deaths of almost 200 people. While the Indonesian government has been accused of laxity in its treatment of Islamic militants, it has been ferocious in its repression of genuine movements for self-determination like those in the province of Aceh. - read article...

Action in Solidarity with Asia and the Pacific condemns outright the barbaric bombing that took place in Bali on October 13 and that took the lives of at least 200 people from Bali, Indonesia, Australia and around the world. This was an act of mass murder carried out against defenceless people. ASAP extends its sympathy and solidarity to the families of all those killed and injured. - read article...

The renewal of interest in the study of imperialism has changed the debate on globalisation, previously centred exclusively on the critique of neo-liberalism and on the new features of globalisation. A concept developed by the main Marxist theorists of the 20th century - which enjoyed a wide diffusion in the 1970s - has again attracted the attention of analysts because of the aggravation of the social crisis of the Third World, the multiplication of armed conflicts and the deadly competition among countries. - read article...

It is a remarkable development indeed when an economist of Joseph Stiglitz’s stature proclaims that in many ways the critics of neo-liberalism have a deeper understanding of the global economy than elite policy makers - read article...

Our articles on the floods in Pakistan have given details of how to send financial aid to the Labour Relief Fund. If it is more convenient for you, you can also send funds through the Europe Solidaire Sans Frontieres account. - read article...

Pakistan is facing worst ever floods of its history. Torrential rains have unleashed flash floods in different parts of the country since last three weeks. Water levies broke leaving the people exposed to flood water. More than 12 million people have suffered due to these floods. More than 650,000 houses have collapsed, mainly in villages. Thousands of acres of crops have been destroyed due to flood water. Houses, live-stock such as cattle’s and goats, household goods, clothes, shoes and other items have been destroyed. Residents of villages are currently without drinkable water, food, shelter and in need of clothes. In particular, the situation is dire for children and women and they are in desperate need of food and clothing. Disease is spreading fast in the areas affected due to lack of drinkable water. In particular, flu, fever, diarrhea, cholera have been noted and are spreading. - read article...

An unexpected, unthinkable, yet - concerning current circumstances - quite expectable and natural thing has occurred yesterday night. Three public social activists that have always expressed a consistent antifascist attitude and shunned civil indifference have been detained. - read article...

We, the participants at the Istanbul ESF, affirming that we have a strong engagement aganist all war and occupation and that we are for a politial resolution of the Kurdish issue, have made the following resolution : - read article...

Under the impulse of the World Bank and international capitalist institutions, the Moroccan regime started a privatization process of the universities and attacks against the right to studiy. The announcement of the “Emergency plan” to the university at beginning of the academic year, i.e. of the brutal aggravation of these attacks, put a spark to the powder. The class-struggle trade unionists of fight, organised within the UNEM, are at the forefront of the mobilization against the “Emergency plan”. - read article...