LL:ART: West Papua could follow Timor way
The Age (Melbourne) 9/11/00 Irian Jaya could follow Timor way Source: AAP|Published: Thursday November 9, 7:17 AM Indonesia accepted that its province of Irian Jaya would follow in the footsteps of East Timor in seeking independence if human rights were not observed there, Foreign Minister Alwi Shihab said. "I think this is a universal premise", Shihab told AAP last night before departing for a meeting of Islamic countries in the Middle East nation of Qatar. With relations still tense over Australia's role in establishing peace in East Timor after a vote for independence last year, Shihab this week requested clarification from his Australian counterpart Alexander Downer of his comments about the Papuan independence movement. Downer told Meet The Press that human rights there had to be observed, otherwise secessionist movements would be encouraged. In recent months, security forces and independence fighters have clashed, sometimes fatally, as authorities attempt to prevent the raising of the Morning Star flag, a symbol of independence in Irian Jaya. Shihab said he accepted Downer's remarks as a "reminder", which would be said to an equal, rather than as a "warning", which was used for a child. "He is only reminding us if the human rights violation takes place in Irian Jaya, as was the case in East Timor, it is likely Irian may follow suit", Shihab said. Asked whether he agreed with this claim, he said: "We know that there are so many malpractices of the past, injustices and we would like to correct that, so it is very valid." Shihab also said he was not offended by last month's communique from the Pacific Islands Forum calling on Indonesia and the Papuan independence movement to exercise restraint "We have to verify the statement", he said. He said he would accompany a delegation of ministers to Canberra on December 10 to prepare for the long-delayed and controversial visit of President Abdurrahman Wahid in late January or early February. "It is up to the Australians to fix the date in late January or the first week of February, but we are ready to go ahead", he said of the President's visit. Last month, Shihab cancelled a ministerial delegation just days before it was set to take place. -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:DDV: Revolutionary dinner - Socialist worker fundraiser
Announcing a Revolutionary Dinner - Food, history and revolution all on the one menu! This is a fund raiser for Socialist Worker. Saturday 18th November at 7.00 pm. Venue - St Augustine's Church Hall, 94 Sydney Road, Coburg (next to the Woodlands Hotel), Tram No 19(first stop after Moreland Road). Tickets $25 waged, $15 unwaged - three course dinner (BYO drinks). Let's congratulate ourselves on a truly amazing year, from the people's revolution in Yugoslavia to World Bank protests in Washington and Prague, and the S11 victory over the WEF in Melbourne. For bookings and more info call Michael on 9930 1505 or 0418 365 771. -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink LL.VK
LL:DDV: Chef Factory closure - public meeting
Advance Notice - there will be a Public Meeting on 30th November at Brunswick Town Hall to protest at Email's decision to close the Chef factory in Brunswick with the loss of 520 jobs. Join a United Front with the Australian Workers Union, Socialist Worker, Moreland councillors, local ALP politicians and concerned local residents and traders to condemn this blatant example of corporate greed at work. In its 2000 annual report, Email writes "management attention remains directed to aggressive cost-down targets ... to increase direct sourcing from lower cost offshore ... and cease local manufacturing operations." The average wage at the Chef factory is $11.65 per hour. Email's profit last year was $94.3 million (up 20% from the previous year), and its turnover was more than $2.1 billion. What better way to mark the 1st anniversary of Seattle? For further details, or if you want to help, ring 9930 1505 or 0418 365 771. Watch for further postings in this forum. -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink LL.VK
LL:DDS: Empowering Women for Peace: Women in Armed Conflict Situations
Dear LL friends, Could you please pass along the following message to any women in your networks/ organisations in South Australia? Saturday 25th November is International Day of Action to End Violence Against Women. Women are warmly invited to join us on that day at the next meeting of the South Australian Branch of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF). At this meeting, Tina Dolgopol (Lecturer in Law at Flinders University) will report on the workshop she conducted on behalf of WILPF at the recent United Nations Association of Australia (UNAA) Conference in Hobart. Tina will also conduct a workshop on the same topic: "Empowering Women for Peace: Women in Armed Conflict Situations". Tina has worked for many years in the international lobbying efforts for the human rights of and monetary compensation for the "comfort women", the women who were drafted into sexual slavery work by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. Tina has a breadth of expertise having worked in the areas of women in armed conflict situations and the implications for all women of such international initiatives as the International Criminal Court. All women and girls are welcome. You don't need to be a WILPF member to come along. The meeting starts at 2 pm and ends at 4.30 pm. If you'd like to join some of us for a shared meal beforehand, the meal starts an hour earlier, that is, at 1 pm - bring some food to share - a microwave oven is available. Hot drinks provided. Place: WILPF rooms in the Community Aid Abroad building at 5 Hutt Street, Adelaide. No cost. Further information: phone: 8296 4357 Many thanks for passing along this message. all the best, Cathy -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink LL.SK
LL:INFO: NTEU on S11
Are there any other unions that have passed similar motions? If so, could someone forward them to this list, because I'm sure many would be interested to know what the formal positions of unions are, over S11. WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM RESOLUTION passed unanimously at the recent NTEU National Council Recognising that: The World Economic Forum (held at Crown Casino 11-13 September 2000) was organised as a meeting for over 1000 of the world's foremost transnational corporations; Such a meeting could only provide opportunities for those corporations to extend their already massive fiscal power, at the expense of the world's people and environment; and Corporations with hideous human rights, anti-worker and environmental records were represented at the forum; Council: Believes that the conduct of a protest outside such a forum was entirely legitimate and long overdue and endorses non-violent protest (as evidenced by those who blockaded the WEF); Condemns the Victoria Police Force's involvement in and instigation of violence at the protest, which resulted in injuries to workers, teachers, doctors, student, the unemployed, activists, children and other; Is concerned especially at the effusive commendation of the police action by Premier Steve Bracks and his reference to (some) demonstrators as "fascists" and calls on the Premier to ensure that the Government fully supports an independent enquiry into the police violence against protestors: Expresses its serious concern at the governmental use of the police force as a political tool including the use of State violence to repress dissent. Believes that the review by the Police Ombudsman is not satisfactory and backs the demand that the Government initiates an expeditious and independent inquiry into police actions over the three days of WEF: Resolves that this motion be sent to both Premier Steve Bracks and to VTHC Secretary Leigh Hubbard and be prepared as a press release. -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:DDV: The Uneasy Alliance - Melbourne Forum
THE UNEASY ALLIANCE: Workers and the Anti-Corporate Globalisation Movement Open forum and discussion Tuesday 14 November 7.30pm RMIT Meeting Room 1 Lesley Clucas Lounge Building 12, Level 4 Swanston St While Bracks gets a pie in the face, S11 protestors vow to continue their fight at May 1 next year. N30 in Seattle, A16 Washington, S11 Melbourne, S26 Prague. These mass protests against Corporate Tyranny and Global Capitalism show that activists around the world are angry and fighting back against the symbols of capitalism itself. The trade union movement to varying degrees is sympathetic and even supportive of this movement. However, S11 shows that this is an uneasy alliance. The S11 Alliance largely failed to convince unionists to join the pickets of the World Economic Forum. Some would argue this isn't important. Others would argue that this isn't actually the case. Workers Power believes that the lack of trade unionists on the S11 pickets contributed to the ability of the police to attack protestors after the Monday Blockade. Open discussion and debate about the lessons of S11 and the way forward to May 1 2001. -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink LL.VK
LL:ART: What unbelievable conceit (in case you missed it)
Surviving without welfare http://www.theage.com.au/frontpage/20001113/A46895-2000Nov13.html By XAVIER LA CANNA THE AGE ONLINE Monday 13 November 2000 Schemes to force people off welfare were actually making people more dependent on the government to survive, a new report today claimed. The Working out of Welfare report commissioned by St Vincent de Paul said the Federal Government's stringent activity statements and punishments for minor welfare breaches forced some people to survive without any money at all. The punishments the government imposes included having welfare payments reduced or cut off if forms were not properly completed or filed late. "In turn this leads to an increase of people being forced to live for long periods without any payment at all. This has the unintentional effect of creating greater dependency as people fall behind in their weekly commitments ..." the report said. The report highlighted five welfare traps; insufficient social security payments, a lack of social support networks, a decline in affordable housing, decreases in public health and education/training spending and high rates of long-term unemployment. St Vincent de Paul's Victorian president Gerard Dowling said in a statement that people should not be surprised by the findings of the report. "The two most rapidly rising demographic groups seeking assistance are people suffering from a mental illness and young people," the statement said. A spokesman for Employment Services Minister Tony Abbott said the minister would not respond to the report. He said a letter from the minister to St Vincent de Paul adequately explained the government's position in relation to the criticisms. "The Federal Government currently distributes some $26 million to organisations such as St Vincent de Paul for emergency family assistance. It is almost a given that government funding in these areas will never be enough because human beings can always find new ways to get themselves into trouble," the letter said. Mr Abbott also said he believed the government's system of mutual obligation was in line with Catholic doctrine. He attacked the charity's belief that increasing welfare payments would help the poor. "Topping up welfare payments can certainly make beneficiaries' lives easier in the short term, but is unlikely to get people jobs or even to reduce the numbers considered poor in a society where poverty is a relative concept," Mr Abbott said in the letter. - -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:AA: action to support fair employment bill
Support Outworkers to get a Fair Go in Victoria - CALL TO ACTION The FairWear Campaing urges all supporters to take a couple of minutes this week to email, phone, fax or mail the following liberal and national politicians to urge them to put the Fair Employment Bill through the upper house of parliament. The Bill will give back to Victorian workers: Better annual leave, sick leave and unpaid parental leave Access to the Fair Employment Tribunal A system for reviewing unfair contracts Stronger protection for low wage workers by making outworkers employees A proper system of enforcement for wages and monies owed for work performed. If you need any further information please contact Pamela Curr 9251 5270 or Annie Delaney 9347 3377 Please contact: Denis Napthine- Opposition leader Parliament House Melbourne, 3002 Ph. 9651 8512, Fax. 9651 8426 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Mark Birrell - Leader of the opposition legislative council Parliament House, Melbourne, 3002 Ph. 9888 6244, Fax. 9888 6529 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Peter Ryan - Leader national party Parliament House, Melbourne, 3002 Ph. 9651 8911 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Example Dear I am writing, calling to ask you to let you know that I support the Fair Employment Bill and ask you to support Bill in the upper house. The Bill will ensure outworkers and other workers in Victoria get protection and will bring Victorian standards up to equal the rest of Australia. Yours sincerely -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
