Somalia: Growing tensions
28.07.10
Victims for the African ”peacekeepers”:
The terrorist attack in Ugandan capital Kampala on July 11 for which Al Shabab has claimed responsibility has caused a lot of discussion. It has rightly been condemned. To kill innocent civilians as a mean of war is always unacceptable. In our we however also have to condemn the killings of the hundreds of civilians by the African Unions Mission in Somalia, AMISOM.
Pakistan: The first victory for the workers in Faisalabad
23.07.10
By Farooq Tariq
This afternoon, after 17 days of strike by over 20,000 power looms workers in the Jhang district, the bosses agreed to meet the demands. The district coordination officer (DCO) announced at the textile workers’ strike camp that all workers would be issued social security cards.
Pakistan: Soldarity call for striking workers in Faisalabad
22.07.10
Farooq Tariq in a brown dress at a union semiar in June. On his left stands the murdered union leader Montansar Randhawa:
In the Faisalabad region of Pakistan, the Labour Qaumi Movement called a strike starting on 19th July to press the 17% wage rise accorded to private sector workers under the latest agreement. Farooq Tariq of the Labour Party of Pakistan has sent us these daily reports on the movement.
Ethiopian has unfinished business in Somalia
19.07.10
The IGAD’s extraordinary meeting that concluded in Addis Ababa and chaired by Ethiopian PM Meles Zenawi has agreed to send 2000 troops from IGAD to bolster the AMISOM forces that are directly fighting with the Somali Islamic movements. Another occupation forces numbering 20000 is also on the table after the UN security gives the green light on secret sessions on the coming days.
Ethiopia's Stalled Democracy
18.07.10
May 23 there were elections in Ethiopia. The ruling party under leadership of Meles Zenawi – the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) – got 99.7 percent of all the votes. Even Stalin would not have dared to falsify the elections in the Soviet Union to such a degree.
EU, U.S. Dumping Toxic Waste in Continent
17.07.10
European states are still using African coasts as a dumping ground of toxic waste, even after enactment of legislation aimed at ending the practice by the European Union.
The last development in and around Somalia
16.07.10
The most spectacular news about the activities from Al Shabab for weeks were the recent attacks in Ugandan capital Kampala which killed 76 civilians. In the first hand the attacks will have the effect to strength the will of the leaders of the international society to fight Al Shabab. But taken the situation in Somalia into consideration it seems very doubtful that such a line will bring any success. Another possibility – at least in the long run – will be to change the whole approach to Somalia.
Pakistan: Labour Leaders killed for forming union in Faisalabad
7.07.10
The anger among Pakistani workers is big. Protesting ship breaking workers in Gadani:
”Mustansar Randhawa, a Labour Qaumi Movement (LQM) leader in Faisalabad was killed today by unknown persons while he was sitting in the office of LQM Sarghoda Road Sector area. He has been receiving death threats from the power looms and textile mill owners for the last few days. His crime was to organise LQM in an area, no one dared to do that earlier. He was also president of National Trade Union Federation Faisalabad.”