World Social Struggles Newswire Archive

A crowd estimated at between 20 000 and 50 000 has descended on Bahrain's Pearl Roundabout in Manama as pro-democracy demonstrations continue to grow. Today's protest follows the killing of 31 year old Fadel Salman Matrouk, who was present at a gathering outside the Salmaniya hospital for the funeral of Ali Abdulhadi Mushaima. Ali died on Monday when security forces attacked a demonstration for human rights in the village of Daih, near Manama.

"As for the Obama administration, having supported Mubarak for as long as possible, it is backing the military regime. On Saturday, the administration declared that it welcomed the measures taken by the generals and their supposed commitment to democracy. Having helped train many of Egypt’s officers, it intends to use them to secure its interests in Egypt and the Middle East. These include not only defending its strategic and military interests, but above all heading off a revolutionary challenge from the working class.

Deeply tied to Egypt’s business community, the officer corps is hostile to the wave of strikes that is shaking Egypt, and workers’ demands for improved wages and social conditions. While it does not yet feel strong enough to do so, the army is signaling its intention to move against strikers. In a statement denouncing “chaos and disorder,” the Higher Military Council said it would ban meetings by labor unions or professional syndicates, effectively making strikes illegal.

In six months, and perhaps longer, the army plans to hold elections on the basis of a constitution drafted exclusively by itself, and without dissolving Mubarak’s National Democratic Party (NDP). That is, it hopes to use the six-month period to wind down the protests and give a pseudo-democratic cover to a regime no more responsive to the demands of the population than the one controlled by the hated Mubarak."

The animal rights social network and advocacy website Animal Rights Zone (ARZone) announces a groundbreaking interview with British neurobiologist and University of Oxford1 Professor Colin Blakemore Ph. D. to take place at 10pm GMT on Saturday February 19, 2011.

By Informer22 underground reporter
SUSSEX POLICE AUTHORITY RUIN MURDER WITNESSES LIFE
MR DAVID (JOE) NEILSON

This is an analysis of the fall of Mubarak, the hypocrisy of the Western imperialist/zionist and our tasks of solidarity with the Arab revolutions in the coming months.

early marly tribute

Yesterday evening, after it was announced that Hosni Mubarak had met the first demand of the revolution and left office, I headed toward the Egyptian embassy in Amman. The joy on the streets was something I had never experienced before.

smash the fash free artwork tribute to activists and to music

* On November 2010, in the Spanish city of Cordoba, during the celebrations of the Centennial of the historical anarcho-syndicalist union, the Confederacion Nacional del Trabajo (CNT), a Round Table discussion about Latin America’s social movements took place. A representative of El Libertario was present and delivered the following report.

30 000 cops are reported to have flooded onto the streets of Algiers in an attempt to quash a pro-democracy rally planned for today. Trains to the city have been canceled, and activists report that all entrances to the city have seen sealed. Many arrests are reported but protestors have vowed to carry on and the crowd is chanting "Echâab Yourid Isqat Annidham" "The people wants to overthrow the system".

Protestors gathered in Sheffield on 11th February 2011, the evening of the 18th day of the revolution in Egypt, after hearing that Mubarak had resigned and had handed control of the state to the military.

"Great changes are now “possible” in Egypt and, potentially throughout the Arab world, but are by no means certain. The US/Israel have a plan B, etc. Bet on it. The citizens of Egypt have shown incredible courage and valor in their struggle. But that struggle continues. Egyptians now must fashion an economy and democracy that serves the needs of all it’s people. Resistance to this effort will be intense. And rest assured has already begun."

“Washington is acutely conscious that what it confronts in Egypt is a social revolution. This has been driven home in the last few days as a strike wave has spread throughout the country, bringing into struggle virtually every section of the country’s working population, from textile workers, to bus drivers, hospital workers, actors, steelworkers, teachers, hospital workers, journalists, shipyard workers, peasants and countless others. Workers have occupied factories, blockaded major roads and fought pitched battles with riot police.

The greatest fear of the ruling elite in the United States and in every other country is that this mass uprising in Egypt will serve as a spark, radicalizing workers throughout the Middle East, Africa and beyond under conditions in which the profound and protracted crisis of world capitalism is creating mass discontent in every corner of the world.”

President Mubarak has stood down, and handed power over to the military. In his own words, "may god help everybody".

PLEASE DISTRIBUTE

When the ongoing Egyptian revolution started on 25th January, a high-profile Egyptian military delegation was in the US requesting 'help' with technology to fight the 'enemies'. It turns out that a US company, with Israeli origins, had already sold Egypt new technology to monitor Internet and mobile phone traffic to crack down on protesters' communications, possibly leading to the arrest and abuse of many. Meanwhile, US-made tear gas and other anti-riot weapons were ruthlessly used against protesters in the first few days of the mass protests, resulting in many injuries and deaths. Should the multinational corporations profiting from these crimes be held responsible? Corporate Watch investigates.

Rumors circulating that Mubarak has left the country , places of destinations are Dubai and Jordan.There are rumors that Cairo international airport is being evacuated to let Mubarak leave now.Another rumor that that he is being detained at a military airport.Al jazeera claims that the army intervened when Mubarak was going to transfer some of his powers to Soliman, in fact this was what Mubarak was going to announce allegedly tonight. Already now we are hearing that officers tried to killed Soliman in that assassination attempt.

The momentum for change in North Africa must extend to sub-Saharan Africa.

Two recent books from France and England are stirring up revolutions, and it's about time.

I'll quote from them a little, because you need to know. But I am not trying to steal their sales. If you get a copy, that's a revolutionary act in itself.

Roma and Arabs in Europe and Latinos in America, take note. This about protecting your rights.

The International Metalworkers' Federation joined with other labour and rights groups in taking further steps to protect the rights and safety of workers, Mexican Miners' Union members and labour rights activists at Johnson Controls in Puebla, Mexico.