Asia-Pacific calls for protests during Obama's visits to Guam, Indonesia and Australia

March 8, 2010 - We, the undersigned progressive, anti-war, anti-neoliberalism and anti-imperialist organisations in the Asia-Pacific region, call for a wave protests to meet US President Barack Obama's planned visits to Guam, Indonesia and Australia in March 2010.

While President Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last year, in fact his administration is escalating US-led military aggression all around the world and continuing the Bush administration's so-called �war on terrorism� -- which is in reality a return to colonial military occupations in the Third World justified by lies and a campaign of fear and racism. The war-like policies of the US serve to protect and advance its economic exploitation and domination all around the world.

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Rudd's policy not a serious public health fix

Peter Boyle
12 March 2010

It was a predictable move. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's popularity was sliding in the lead-up to a federal election. Rudd and his ministers needed an issue on which they could appear to be the �good guys� without denting the interest of the country�s filthy rich elite. Health reform, of course, that's the ticket!

The beauty about health reform is that it sounds good to lots of people and, most importantly, it makes unpopular (mainly Labor) state governments Rudd's target.

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Come to the Climate Action Summit!

Australia's second Climate Action Summit will be held in Canberra this weekend, March 13-15. Since the groundbreaking first conference in 2009, an ongoing national network of over 100 grassroots organisations has been set up, further strengthening the movement.

Check out the links below for information about the summit, and ongoing discussions in the climate movement.

NT nuclear waste dump � traditional owners say no

Natalie Wasley, Alice Springs
26 February 2010

Federal resources minister Martin Ferguson announced on February 23 that he intends to pursue plans for a national radioactive waste repository at Muckaty, 120km north of Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory.

Ferguson�s media release asserted that he was restoring �fairness� to the difficult issue of managing Australia�s radioactive waste.

Elements of the minister�s announcement do just that � in particular, the repeal of the 2005-06 Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management Act, extraordinary legislation that permitted the imposition of a dump in the absence of any consultation with, or consent from, traditional owners.

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Should unions leave Labor?

Tim Gooden
20 February 2010

Congratulations to Victorian Electrical Trades Union secretary Dean Mighell for his frank comment in the February 11 The Age ("Unions must leave Labor").

Unionists, including ALP members, must not be afraid to have this debate publicly. The troubled trade union movement cannot move forward if discussion is kept away from rank-and-file members.

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Haiti joint statement: 'Cancel the debt!'

Joint statement by Asian and Australiasian left organisations in solidarity with the people of Haiti

[To add your organisation's support, email: Ign Mahendra K at international@prp-indonesia.org.]

January 27, 2010 -- On January 12, 2010, a 7.3 Richter scale earthquake struck Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti. The earthquake caused great destruction and 200,000 people are thought to be dead. Further, 3 million Haitians have been rendered homeless by the quake, which also damaged many public service buildings, such as hospitals and schools.

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Regional left groups statement on Tamil refugees

Respect human rights - free the refugees!

Reject Australia's 'Indonesian solution'!
Australia should welcome the asylum seekers!

A joint statement of:

Socialist Alliance, Australia; Socialist Party, Australia; Resistance, Australia; Socialist Alternative, Australia; Solidarity, Australia; Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM); Network of the Oppressed People (JERIT), Malaysia; CWI Malaysia; Confederation Congress of Indonesian Union Alliance (KASBI); Working Peoples Association (PRP), Indonesia; National Liberation Party of Unity (PAPERNAS); Indonesian National Front for Labor Struggle (FNPBI); Militan-Indonesia; Labour Party Pakistan; Partido ng Manggagawa, Philippines; Partido Lakas ng Masa, Philippines; Transform Asia, Philippines; Socialist Worker - New Zealand; Socialist Appeal, New Zealand; World Federation of Trade Unions, Asia-Pacific Bureau

November 5, 2009

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Statement on AFP harassment of political prisoner in Colombia

Dear Minister O�Connor,

We are writing to protest recent actions by Australian Federal Police (AFP) violating international prisoners� rights conventions and the human rights of labour activist and political prisoner Liliany Obando in Colombia.

Ms Obando was hosted at public forum by a range of solidarity, labour and community organisations, including the Socialist Alliance, when she visited Australia as a representative of Colombia�s largest farmers� union, FENSUAGRO, in 2005 and 2007. Shortly after her return to Colombia in 2007 she was arrested and imprisoned, and has now spent more than 14 months in jail, most of it without charges even having been laid.

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Defend jobs, not profits! - A working-class response to the economic crisis

The current economic crisis comes after 14 years of boom conditions, which have delivered a profits bonanza to the bosses. Workers� share of the national income has declined from 60% in 1978 to 51% today. At the same time, the cost of living has risen significantly.

The bosses are using the global financial crisis as a cover to slash jobs. As the Australian economy heads towards recession, unemployment is rising. The official unemployment figure is predicted to rise to 9% by the end by 2010; the real level of joblessness will be far greater.

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