A Ceasefire Isn’t Enough – It’s Time to End the Occupation

By Shabbir Lakha

On Saturday 15 May, as the bombs were raining down over Gaza, 150,000 people shut down the streets of London and laid siege on the Israeli embassy. It was a sight to behold. People of all ages, from all communities came together, united in rage and solidarity. It was one of 77 protests taking place across the UK and marked the biggest Palestine protests since 2014.

Israel has now agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza, but only after killing over 230 Palestinians, almost a third of them children, and only after bombing homes, medical facilities, schools and key infrastructure. The ceasefire had been on the table for a week, but with the backing of Biden vetoing a UN call for a ceasefire thrice, Israel repeatedly rejected it and deliberately chose to escalate its bombardment no matter the civilian casualties.

The ceasefire is welcome. It will wind down the barbarity we have witnessed in the last eleven days. But as the BBC’s Paul Adams admitted,

These episodes follow a familiar pattern: Israel presses home its undoubted military advantage until the international outcry over civilian casualties, and a deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, demand that the operation end.

Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union stages protest in Bathinda on March 15th

With resolute determination the Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union representing the dalit landless agricultural labour, continues to flash the torch of resistance. The agricultural labour are merciless victims of the Agricultural bills and engripped by the ruler’s policies which patronise neo-colonial slavery. On the invitation of Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union State Committee, thousands of farm labourers men and women on March 15th protested against agricultural laws, amendments in labour laws and oppression on Dalits in the local grain market. Morally the spark of revolutionary resistance against the neo-fascist attacks of the rulers was ignited.I was present at the rally. In my view the gathering was not so large comprising around 5000 people, but still had important qualitative impact. For two weeks meticulous preparations were made for this event, particularly in the Malwa region. It is significant that a separate rally only for the landless agricultural labourers was staged as distinctive from the landed peasantry. The wrath the participants had against the present rulers was written on their faces as though a flame was burning within. They clearly understood the fascist nature of the bills introduced by prime minister Modi which made them hapless victims of the Corporates.I was impressed with the lucidity or cogeal nature of the speeches which at the very root explained the deep penetration of neo-fascism in the Indian economy, giving striking emphasis to the proto-fascist policies of the current Modi led Bharatiya Janata party.It continued the pattern of several qualitatively impactful protest rallies conducted by the PKMU in Bathinda at state level, in recent years. Another aspect that touched me was the intensive participation and great presence of women, who looked like holding half the sky.

Freedom for Pablo Hasél

Rappers from Mexico and Colombia show solidarity with Pablo Hasél

Latin American rappers spoke out on social media after Pablo Hasél's arrest and threat to freedom of expression


The imprisonment of rapper  Pablo Hasél has caused international controversy and outrage. Amid the pandemic, Spanish youths have been in the streets for eight days protesting and clashing with police.

Artists from all over the world have been quick to show solidarity with the rapper, who has been imprisoned for glorifying terrorism, insulting the Spanish Crown and state institutions.

Crackdown and state terrorism all over Greece, on the pretext of demonstrations in memory of the murdered student, Alexis Grigoropoulos

 

Today, on December 6th 2020, 12 years have passed since the murder of the 15 year-old student Alexis Grigoropoulos, who was shot dead by the police officer Korkoneas, under the state's responsibility. This murder didn't only shake Greece, but peoples all around the globe.

This murder was the straw that broke the camel's back and brought about a youth uprising, since they saw their own reflection in the face of Grigoropoulos, given the fundamental crisis of the capitalist-imperialist crisis, with a future that is both uncertain and without any prospect. School and university students as well as broader parts of the Greek youth were daily protesting and organising demonstrations, take-overs and assemblies in schools and universities. In front of the beating, the tear-gas and the arrests they were more and more infuriated, because they understood more and more that Alexis Grigoropoulos' death was not an accident, but the real face of this rotting system.

No to the deportation of Dr. Banu Büyükavcı from Germany!

The Nuremberg Department of Foreigners and the German state started the deportation process of Dr. Banu Büyükavcı for "reasons of public interest". Dr. Banu Büyükavcı is known for the long-running political trial in Munich of the Turkish Communists of TKP / ML , known as the "Munich Communist Trial". 

She is one of the ten, arrested in the international police operation in five European countries, coordinated and organized by the German state, on April 15, 2015 on charges of being members of the TKP / ML, under Article 129 / b of the German Penal Code. The trial ended on July 28, 2020, and the ten communists were sentenced from 2 years and 9 months to 6 years and 9 months in prison. Banu Büyükavcı was sentenced to 3 years and six months in prison while she was remanded in custody for 32 months, 4 of which in complete isolation and was released on parole on 19 February 2018.

The people of France fight back against Macrons new secutity law

Thousands of French people took to the streets to demonstrate against the new law of "National Security". Despite the state of emergency and the states measures against the pandemic, tens of thousands defied the bans all over France and demonstrated. Police and demonstrators have clashed in Paris despite the tear gasses and the water cannons used.

250 Million Workers And Farmers Strike Nationwide In India

India saw one of the biggest nationwide strikes by workers, joined by protesting farmers today. Several states saw a complete shutdown. Over 250 million workers across sectors participated in the strike, called by 10 central trade unions and hundreds of worker associations and federations.

Kerala, Puducherry, Odisha, Assam and Telangana witnessed a complete shutdown while normal life was partially affected in several other states as workers struck work and took to the streets, protesting against the “anti-worker” and pro-corporate policies and labour laws as well as the new farm laws brought in by the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata party government, among other demands.