disasters

The house of cards - the Savar building collapse

Submitted by Red Marriott on Apr 26 2013 21:23

The latest human disaster in the Bangladeshi garment industry - a poorly constructed factory building collapses...

Hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshi garment workers strike after factory collapse

Submitted by Steven. on Apr 26 2013 11:24

Hundreds of thousands of workers went on strike on Thursday in protest at the deaths of hundreds of workers in a factory collapse the previous day.

Workers downed tools and blockaded major highways in several industrial areas outside the capital Dhaka, forcing factory bosses to declare a day's holiday.

Factories where the owners did not grant the day off were attacked.

The chief of police told press that many of the workers also "wanted to donate blood to their fellow workers", over 1000 of whom were injured in the collapse.

Notes on the manifesto against labor - Jaime Semprun

Jaime Semprun criticizes the Krisis Group's Manifesto Against Labor for clinging to what he refers to as the "obsolete" idea that the existing productive forces of capitalist big industry can be re-appropriated for the purposes of revolutionary change, when such events as Hiroshima and Chernobyl clearly show that these forces have long since crossed the threshold that stands between "productive forces" and "destructive forces", and claims that the "machinery that has paralyzed" "humanity's vital forces" must be destroyed rather than re-appropriated.

Notes on The Manifesto Against Labor (1) - Jaime Semprun

Must we rebuild their anthill? A letter to/for Japanese comrades

Silvia Federici and George Caffentzis describe the threat to capitalist legitimacy from the disaster in Japan and the use of nuclear power as a strategy of accumulation and terror.

By Silvia Federici and George Caffentzis

Dear comrades,

Community Assembly in Christchurch (NZ): the fight back begins

Submitted by Jared on Apr 3 2011 05:35

Summary of a public assembly held in Christchurch, New Zealand, to organise the direction of recovery after the February 22 earthquake and in response to draconian changes in city power.

Today (April 2nd) was a good day to be in Christchurch, at least if you attended the Rally for Christchurch Community Assembly.

Between 80-100 attended and went away inspired, energise and motivated to organise in their Communities, building on the solidarity and links made in the weeks following the quake.

Amongst the Rubble: a look at the Christchurch Earthquake from the Bottom Up

Submitted by Jared on Sep 16 2010 10:56

While the dust settles and Christchurch recovers from the 7.1 earthquake, people have begun to pick up the pieces and get on with their lives. But for many working class people this is not so easy.

Those most affected by ‘natural disasters’ — whether by the tsunami in the Pacific, earthquakes in Haiti, Chile and now Christchurch, NZ — are those already on the margins of despair.

On the situation in southern Chile: self-organisation of proletarians in the face of catastrophe, lumpen capitalists and state incompetence

Submitted by Caiman del Barrio on Mar 3 2010 00:30

A translation of an eye-opening - if unverified - and anonymous account of neighbour solidarity and self-defence squads against armed gangs in Concepción, Chile immediately following the 8.8 Richter scale earthquake on Saturday morning.

(By an anonymous comrade)

It would be very good if – since you have the means with which to spread information - you could publicise what’s going on in Concepción and the surrounding area, as well as many other areas that are affected by the earthquake:

Chile: private property and the rule of law take priority over human life in the post-earthquake chaos

Submitted by Caiman del Barrio on Mar 2 2010 03:13

One man has been shot dead by the military and over 160 arrested for expropriating necessities in parts of southern Chile, which are suffering a near total lack of basic commodities following a massive earthquake on Saturday morning.

Various voices are starting to emerge from the devastated region, denouncing the urgency of the Chilean government - under the control of left-of-centre Michele Bachelet until she hands over to right wing Sebastián Piñera on 11 March - in deploying thousands of soldiers and police blockading supermarket entrances against 'looters' instead of initiating a comprehensive aid effort.