Asia
China: One killed and 60 injured in riot over transport price hikes
A student was killed and at least 60 people were injured in central China when villagers armed with bricks and rocks clashed with baton-wielding police over rising bus fares.
In a follow up to our story on Monday, we can report that the demonstrations were concerned with the doubling of the ticket prices over the Chinese New Year holiday in February.
20,000 farmers and workers riot in China
Hunan city, Yongzhou, central China; around 20,000 farmers and laid off workers have rioted and clashed with 1,000 police armed with guns and electric cattle prods.
The rioters were reported to be protesting against government corruption and rising transport costs. The unrest was eventually suppressed with scores of arrests and some injuries, none serious, on both sides.
Vietnam: 3,000 factory workers wildcat
3,000 workers at a furniture factory in southern Vietnam have downed tools and walked out over low pay, state media and company officials report.
According to the company and state media, the dispute centres on the levelling out of pay between new and experienced workers at the Taiwanese-owned factory. Nguyen Thi Mai, a company human resources official, said the workers didn't inform the trade union or the company of ther intentions or their demands before starting their strike Friday.
India: Strike of 10,000 tailors enters seventh day
The indefinite strike of thousands of garment workers in Tirupur for a wage increase continues this week.
Chennai online reported that with talks to find a solution to the demand for increase in stitching charges remaining inconclusive, the strike by job working units for domestic innerwear brands in nearby Tirupur entered the seventh day today.
Kashmir: Public sector workers continue strike, French NGO MSF threatens strikers.
Public sector workers in Kashmir continue strike action to attempt to force the government not to renege on promises it made to workers after the 2005 earthquake. The French-based NGO Médecins Sans Frontières has threatened striking health workers at one of its district hospitals with dismissal if they continue the strike.
Public sector workers continue strike despite leader’s betrayal
Medecin Sans Frontier threaten striking health workers with dismissal
Notes on an ongoing workplace struggle - Sphinx
An article by Sphinx addressing workplace activity and the potential for organising disparate individuals in a Japanese workplace. The article is distinguished by its acceptance of, and engagement with, real world conditions, and yet is able to maintain a light and transcendent tone. It is also articulates the necessity for workers to establish their own goals.
Welcome to the 'Chinese century'?
It is perhaps difficult to overstate the sheer immensity of the transformation that is being wrought in China. In merely a few years, entire cities have been summoned into existence and vast industries have been brought into being - as China has emerged from being widely regarded as a peculiar autarchic rural backwater, which was geo-politically significant only for having the bomb and a large army, to being recognised as a major economic powerhouse on the world stage.
Bangladesh: 'State of Emergency' powers extended and tightened - strikes & demonstrations banned, media gagged
President Iajuddin Ahmed on Friday 26th Jan proclaimed the Emergency Powers Rules 2007 and indefinitely extended the existing state of emergency.
New powers ban various activities, including street protests, rallies and strikes, and impose heavy restrictions on all media. Penalties for breaking the rules are between 2 and 5 years of 'rigourous imprisonment' with offenders being dealt with by special 'speedy trial tribunals'.
Bangladeshi newspapers report;
Murder of hotel worker leads to widespread protest in western China
A small regional town in Sichuan province in western China has become the latest site for the vast number of protests occurring across the country in response to people’s discontent with rampant corruption and government impunity.
Up to 20,000 people, according to some reports, demonstrated over a number of days outside the four-star Nest Business Hotel following the death of a 16-year-old female hotel worker, who was raped and murdered on the premises. On the night of January 17, the protests reached a climax as people stormed the hotel and set it alight.
The Long March into Parliament - Nepal Maoists take their seats
The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) on Monday (15th) entered Parliament, 10 years after leaving it to begin their guerilla war.
The goal of stripping power from the monarchy has been achieved - as much by last year's widespread pro-democracy street protests as by their guerilla activity (see previous coverage here). The King is no longer head of state, has no political power and has been relieved of much royal property and other assets.
