Letter from Ignacio del Valle, La Palma federal prison, Mexico state, via Narco News, May 7: Introduction: Brief Synopsis of the Struggles in Atenco One year after the brutal police attack against the town of San Salvador Atenco in Mexico,… Read moreMexico: Atenco political prisoner speaks
While it is always bad news when journalists are detained or harassed, we are extremely skeptical that there is “slavery” in the Polisario Front’s refugee camps—and about this report generally. From South Africa’s News24, May 7: SYDNEY — Two Australian… Read moreWestern Sahara: Polisario Front detains journalists?
From Amnesty International, May 8: Arms transfers to Sudan fuel serious human rights violations Arms, ammunition and related equipment are still being transferred to Darfur in the west of Sudan for military operations. Extremely serious violations and abuses of human… Read moreAmnesty: China supplies arms for Darfur conflict
Argentine President Néstor Kirchner made a telephone call over the weekend to his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chávez, asking him not to nationalize Sidor, Venezuela’s biggest steel mill. The head of Argentina’s Techint Group, which owns Sidor, is expected to fly… Read moreVenezuela: nationalization threat opens rift with Argentina
Major General Rick Lynch, who commands US forces south of Baghdad, told reporters May 7 recent history indicates that it takes an average of nine years to put down internal insurgencies, and there is “no instantaneous solution” in Iraq. “You… Read moreUS could be in Iraq for years: general
From AP, May 6: GREENSBURG, Kan.— The rebuilding effort in tornado-ravaged Greensburg, Kansas, likely will be hampered because some much-needed equipment is in Iraq, said that state’s governor. Governor Kathleen Sebelius said much of the National Guard equipment usually positioned… Read moreIraq war hampers Kansas tornado recovery
From AFP, May 7 via iAfrica.com: Riot squads fired tear gas on Sunday at protestors throwing stones, bottles and, in one instance, acid at police in cities across France after right-winger Nicolas Sarkozy’s presidential victory. Clashes took place at Paris’… Read moreFrance: riots greet “Sarko-fascist” election
On May 1, 2007, thousands of people around the US marched and rallied for immigrant rights. Media coverage focused on the fact that the demonstrations were much smaller than similar actions last spring—even though advocates knew well in advance that… Read moreMay Day mobilization: national round-up
Colombian prosecutor general Mario Iguarán confirmed that several foreigners, at least three from Ecuador, are among the 105 presumed paramilitary victims whose bodies were exhumed from a mass grave near La Hormiga, Putumayo department, May 5. Another 106 bodies were… Read moreColombia: AUC’s “Macaco” behind Putumayo mass grave
Three campesino leaders from San Salvador Atenco were each sentenced to 67 years and six months in prison on charges of kidnapping May 5. The sentences come almost exactly a year after a violent clash between Atenco residents and Mexican… Read moreMexico: Atenco leaders get 67 years
A group of students from Oaxaca’s autonomous State University allied with the Popular Assembly of the People of Oaxaca (APPO) occupied Radio Universidad—the University radio station—on April 30. The students said it was a limited take-over to last until 8… Read moreOaxaca: APPO retakes Radio Universidad
Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa announced last week that he will increase military and security forces around oil facilities and allow the use of force to remove protestors. “We will not allow any more invasions of oil installations or the blockage… Read moreEcuador: army ordered to break up oil protests
