Page 716 – Toward Freedom

Savagery and Silence in the First World

Sandy Leon Vest November 2, 2009 Sandy Leon Vest

In America – in my country – I fear we are losing the battle for our humanity. Some say we have already lost it.

Deep down I think they may be right.

Such is the level of violence, voyeurism and detachment displayed this October in Richmond, California, when at least two dozen students cheered, laughed or simply stood by and watched as a 15-year old girl was repeatedly raped, beaten and brutalized by an “unknown number of assailants.”

This horrific act of terrorism took place in the parking lot of Richmond High School, just yards away from where the school was holding its annual homecoming dance. read more

How Detroit, the Motor City, turned into a ghost town

Paul Harris November 2, 2009 Paul Harris

Excerpt from The Guardian Unlimited

Try telling Brother Jerry Smith that the recession in America has ended. As scores of people queued up last week at the soup kitchen which the Capuchin friar helps run in Detroit, the celebrations on Wall Street in New York seemed from another world.

The hungry and needy come from miles around to get a free healthy meal. Though the East Detroit neighbourhood the soup kitchen serves has had it tough for decades, the recession has seen almost any hope for anyone getting a job evaporate. Neither is there any sign that jobs might come back soon. read more

Argentina: Disappearing Farmers, Disappearing Food

Marie Trigona October 29, 2009 Marie Trigona

Worldwide, industrial mono-culture farming has displaced traditional food production and farmers, wreaking havoc on food prices and food sovereignty. This is particularly true for the global south, where land has been concentrated for crops destined for biodiesel and animal feed. In response, peasants and small farmers organized actions in more than 53 countries on October 15 for International Food Day as an initiative of Via Campesina, one of the largest independent social movement organizations, representing nearly 150 million people globally.

Israelis Targeting Grassroots Activists

Mel Frykberg October 28, 2009 Mel Frykberg

Source: IPS News

(IPS) – Israeli authorities are increasingly targeting and intimidating non-violent Palestinian grassroots activists involved in anti-occupation activities who are drawing increased support from the international community.

Several weeks ago masked Israeli soldiers stormed the home of Ehab Jallad from The Jerusalem Popular Committee for the Celebration of Jerusalem as the Capital of Arab Culture for 2009.

"Around 3am the soldiers started kicking and banging on the door and threatened to break it down if I didn’t open immediately. My young daughters were terrified as they didn’t know what was happening," recalls Jallad, a young Palestinian architect from Jerusalem. read more

Damming Magdalena: Emgesa Threatens Colombian Communities

Jonathan Luna October 28, 2009 Jonathan Luna

A small path descends from the town of La Jagua, crossing a field and forest until it ends at a cliff overlooking the Magdalena River. Pairs of buff-necked ibis take flight announcing their local name, "cocli cocli." Above the beach where children swim, the rock is carved by erosion and dotted with small holes occupied by birds. The landscape is dotted, too, every 100 meters, with concrete markers declaring the land, river, and everything else a "public utility" that Colombia has given to the energy company Emgesa as part of the Quimbo Hydroelectric Project.

Indonesia: Presidential Inauguration Marked by Protests

Ulfa Ilyas October 27, 2009 Ulfa Ilyas

Source: Green Left Weekly

Thousands of people from various sectors of society protested to mark the inauguration of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as president and Boediono as vice-president near the national parliament on October 20. Yudhoyono was elected to his second five-year term.

Spokeperson of the Street Parliament Alliance (APJ) Lalu Hilman Afriandi said: “Protesters demand the president end his neoliberal policies, because neoliberalism has brought suffering to the people of the world, including Indonesia.

“In the last five years, the government has been busy seeking foreign loans. Up to August, our debt reached US$160.64 billion and each year hundreds of trillion rupiah must be found in the state budget to repay the loans. read more