481

Museworthy: Hostage Sonnet

Museworthy: Hostage Sonnet he lost his head because they realised the scale of value: try one white for one hundred blacks and then further down, one hundred blacks from here equals about a thousand from there... “Go West, young

Tampa spying business as usual for spy agency

BY ALISON DELLIT The February 12 revelation that communications between Australian residents and the MV Tampa were spied upon has focused attention on the role of Australia's secret police agencies. Many people are uneasy at the thought that

Bulldozers thwarted for now at Sandon Point

BY CRISTINA SACCO WOLLONGONG — Residents of Sandon Point, near Thirroul, the controversial site of a proposed upmarket housing development by Stocklands Constructions, were woken by the roar of bulldozers at 5am on February 12. Immediately "phone

AFGHANISTAN: Civilian massacres mount despite US victory

BY NORM DIXON US forces in Afghanistan continue to inflict deaths and injuries on civilians, long after US air power has driven the Taliban regime from power and scattered its al Qaeda allies to the four winds. The latest slaughter occurred on

Loose cannons

The Ronald Reagan defence "I have no memory of that." — Former defence minister Peter Reith commenting on Prime Menzies John Howard's claim that he had asked Reith on November 7 if the claims made by government ministers a month earlier about

and ain't i a woman?: Bush attacks young people's sexual freedom

and ain't i a woman?: Bush attacks young people's sexual freedom Young people have sex — it's a social reality. Greater sexual freedom is a good thing, so long as it's based on free choice, without the moral pressure to have or not to have

Blockade to save the Weld

BY ALEX BAINBRIDGE HOBART — Dozens of activists are maintaining a "Weld River community picket". The blockade, which entered its 12th day on February 15, has stopped work on a forestry road and bridge into the Weld Valley in southern Tasmania.

'Counter terrorism': Bloody Sunday to today

BY JUDE McCULLOCH & DAMIEN LAWSON It is 30 years since Bloody Sunday, when British paratroopers, suppressing a civil rights march in Derry, Northern Ireland, opened fire and killed 14 unarmed civilians — half of them teenagers. Though these

Socialist Alliance for Darebin

BY EDWARD JOHNSTONE MELBOURNE — The Socialist Alliance is fielding candidates in four wards in the Darebin City Council election in Melbourne's north-east. The alliance's platform demands that Darebin City be made a haven for refugees, that Merri

On the box

Actively Radical TV — Sydney community television's progressive current affairs producers tackle the hard issues from the activist's point of view. CTS Sydney (UHF 31), every Sunday, 9pm. Phone 9565 5522. Visit <http://www.channel31.org>

BRAZIL: Debates at the World Social Forum

BY LEE SUSTAR intro = PORTO ALEGRE — For a second year, the World Social Forum (held January 31 to February 5) attracted an incredible range of social movements, labour unions and political groups from all over the world. The spirit of

Biggest protest action since '70s

BY PHILIPPA SKINNER KATOOMBA — Five hundred Blue Mountains residents took to the streets on February 15 to protest the Coalition government's treatment of refugees. Organised by local activists, the theme "Take a stand — free the refugees"