Over 14 million people could find themselves in fuel poverty in the near future, if new figures from gas giant Centrica predicting a 70% rise in gas prices prove accurate - nearly a quarter of the population.
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Alexander Berkman analyses the role of the Bolsheviks in the Russian Revolution, written June 1921 in Moscow.
1968
With updates in 2001, this article outlines the story of the widespread resistance and near-mutiny within the US Army, Navy and Air Force during the Vietnam War. This resistance was a major factor in the eventual withdrawal of US troops.
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First issue of an irregular workers' bulletin put together by users of the website, libcom.org. This issue focuses on the 2008 pay dispute over sub-inflation pay offers.
A REPORT FROM THE FRONT LINE
The new Mexican State Attack against Zapatista communities
Speaker: Ernesto Ledesma, from CAPISE human rights group, San Cristobal,Chiapas, Mexico.
8pm Wed 16 April at the Augustine United Church, 14 George IV Bridge,central Edinburgh
Admission Free (donations welcome)
Mexican human rights activist Ernesto Ledesma will expose the serious attacks being made on the indigenous zapatista communities Mexico, whenhe speaks in Edinburgh on 16th April.
“Paramilitaries and Mexican state forces are both involved in grave violations of human rights in the indigenous villages in Chiapas,Mexico,” explained Esther McDonald of the Edinburgh Chiapas SolidarityGroup, who have organised the meeting. Ernesto works for the human rights organisation CAPISE. Based in theheart of the conflict zone, CAPISE not only research and document infringements of civil liberties, they also send human rights observersto the villages under threat. Ernesto will give a first-hand account ofsome of the many recent dramatic developments.
On 1st February 2008 a father and son from the zapatista community of Vetel Yochib were attacked by police while travelling to help build aPeace Camp for human rights observers. The police shot the father in thefoot, then took them both to the Playas de Catajaza prison near Palenque. There they were tortured for seven hours. Only after vigorous protests by the zapatista authorities and human rights groups, were theyfreed after a week in prison. Five armed police entered the zapatista village of Bolon Ajaw on 21stFebruary, firing shots in the air. The villagers mobilised, forcing themto retreat, but not before they had badly beaten two women with theirgun butts. These are only two of many different attacks, some of which involve whole villages being violently evicted. The repression in Chiapas has led to many people being unjustly imprisoned. Ernesto will report on the hunger strike by over 30 politicalprisoners in Chiapas, which within the last few days has led to some ofthese prisoners being released. “The attacks on the zapatista villages are not isolated events, but partof a strategy coming from the highest levels of the Mexican state,”explained Esther McDonald. “Those in power are scared that the autonomous communities created by the zapatistas will encourage other oppressed people to take power into their own hands.”
The Edinburgh Chiapas Solidarity Group is twinned with a group of 40zapatista villages known as Autonomous Municipality 16th February, andhave raised over £15,000 for their health clinic and primary schools. Edinburgh Chiapas Solidarity Group www.edinchiapas.org.ukedinchiapas@yahoo.co.uk Group meetings held regularly at ACE, 17 W Montgomery Place, next meeting tues 22nd April at7.30pm, e mail for details future meetings.