Demand Freedom For Jailed Iranian Workers!

Amnesty International has launched an online campaign this week demanding the release of jailed trade unionists in Iran. Please sign up today:

http://www.amnesty.org.uk/actions_details.asp?ActionID=613

Support the Iranian Struggle

The following is from human rights campaigner and Green candidate Peter Tatchell regarding solidarity action on Thursday -

Support the Iranian people's struggle for democracy and freedom

Protest this Thursday 18 June, 6-8pm, outside the Iranian Embassy in London, 16 Princes Gate, SW7 1PT.

Spread the word via twitter, facebook, myspace and your email address book.

Show the Iranian people that they are not alone.

Show the Tehran regime that the humane world is against its vote-rigging and tyranny.

“We are protesting in support of the Iranian people's struggle for democracy, freedom, equality and social justice,” said human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell.
“They are heroes and heroines. We salute their courage and
determination. May they triumph over the forces of dictatorship and
repression.”

If you cannot attend the protest, write, phone or email your protest to the Iranian Ambassador, Rasoul Movahedian:

Movahedian@iran-embassy.org.uk
020 7225 4208
Embassy of Iran, 16 Princes Gate, SW7 1PT.

Thank you and solidarity, Peter Tatchell

Iran - Elections Stolen, Repression Continues

The repression against the independent workers' movements in Iran continues, now combined with widespread Police and secret police action against supporters of opposition parties after the disputed election.

It is shameful that some self proclaimed "liberation" leaders and "international socialists" are lining up behind the authoritarian and dictatorial Iranian leadership. Lessons there for those who tend towards idolisation of "radical" regimes in South America and elsewhere.

Fortunately international workers' organisations are not so foolish and know the difference between solidarity with fellow workers and standing aloof in the name of a dogmatic and abstract "anti-imperialism" that identifies with regional rulers.

IRAN: ALL OUT FOR 26 JUNE GLOBAL SOLIDARITY ACTION DAY

Four global union organizations representing over 170 million workers have called a worldwide action day on June 26 to demand justice for Iranian workers. Demonstrations will take place outside Iranian embassies and consulates to protest the ongoing denial of rights and arrests of trade unionists within the country. Please visit the campaign's new website at http://www.justiceforiranianworkers.org/ and make sure to click on the 'Get Active' link.

Free May Day Detainees In Iran

There were some marvellous marches, demonstrations and rallies around the world earlier this month in celebration of International Workers' Day, May 1st. In some parts of the world however, these were met by repression and violence. Below are details on solidarity actions and events for the Iranian workers who bravely stood up for the right of working people to organise and who have been detained by the state.

1 Iran's May Day Organizing Committee: A Call for the International Campaign to Free May Day Detainees
2 Sample Protest Letter (IASWI)
3 Protest Rally in London, UK
__________________________________________________________

Iran: A Call for an International Campaign to Free May Day Detainees

Workers and labour organizations in Iran and all over the world!

On May First, the International Workers’ Day, many workers and their families assembled in Laleh Park of Tehran in response to the May Day Organizing Committee (consisting of independent labour organizations in Iran ). People gathered to present their demands and to commemorate the May Day; however, they as well as other visitors of the park were violently attacked by the security-intelligence forces and plain-clothes agents. These forces used all kinds of tools and equipments to assault people, as the result of which many got severely injured and more than 150 people while being beaten were taken to custody. At this time, about 100 of the above are still incarcerated.

The people who were so brutally beaten and arrested had not committed any crime. They were repressed because they wanted to commemorate their international day, along with billions of other workers around the world, and put forward the demands of million of working people of Iran . They are being oppressed because of their efforts to form independent organizations. Many of them just like thousand other workers in Iran have not been paid for months. They are now in such unbearable situation only because they raised their protest voice together.

Everyday, the families of the May Day detainees have been gathering outside courts and judicial offices but they have been badly treated and never received a clear answer from the judicial authorities. We, millions of workers and toilers and egalitarians, are responsible towards our imprisoned colleagues and their families and must not leave them on their own. We have to engage in united and immense efforts for the freedom of all prisoners.

We therefore launch a campaign for the freedom of May Day detainees and call on all workers’ and human rights’ organizations in Iran and internationally to denounce these arrests, demand unconditional freedom of all detainees and support the legitimate demands of workers in Iran, which was stipulated in their 2009 (1388) May Day resolution. All concerned organizations and individuals are urgently requested to take any necessary and possible measures, depending on their capacity, in support of the May Day detainees.

LONG LIVE CLASS SOLIDARITY OF WORKERS OF THE WORLD

Please send the report of your actions, statements and solidarity messages to campain1may@gmail.com.

May 9th, 2009 (Ordibehest 19, 1388)
The May Day Organizing Committee:
• The Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Vahed Bus Company
• The Syndicate of Workers of Haft Tapeh Sugar Cane Company
• The Free Union of Workers in Iran
• The Founding Committee of the Syndicate of Building 's Painters and Decoration's Workers
• The Collaborative Council of Labour Organizations and Activists
- The Coordinating Committee to Help Form Workers’ Organizations
- The Committee to Pursue the Establishment of Free Workers’ Organizations
- A Group of Worker Activists
- The Women’s Council
• The Center for Workers’ Rights in Iran

Supported by:
The Electrical & Metal Workers' Trade Association in Kermanshah, The Association in Support of the Sacked Workers of Saqhez, The Committee in Defence of Haft Tapeh Workers, Workers of The Parris textile Factory in Sanandaj, Workers of the Shin Baft Spinning and Textile Factory in Sanandaj, Workers of Shahoo, Sanandaj Textile, Gharb Baft, Ajor Shil, Shir Paak Araa, Gunnny Baafi (Gunny Making) Sama, Fajr Flour and Nirou Rakhsh factories, Service workers of Sanandaj’s Tohid Hospital, A group of Retired Workers of Sanandaj, Workers of Farsh Gharb Company in Kermanshah, Dena Laastic (Rubber), A group of workers of Ghaa-en Cement, A group of Workers of Aslavieh …

(more names to be added)
Translated by the May Day Organizing Committee

Thanks to all protest letters sent thus far

Sample protest letter: Protest against repression of May Day Events in Iran
Send your protest letters to (Prepared by the IASWI):

To: info@leader.ir ; dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir ; info@judiciary.ir ; iran@un.int ; ijpr@iranjudiciary.org ; info@dadiran.ir ; office@justice.ir; matbuat@mfa.gov.ir; info@police.ir;
Cc: info@workers-iran.org; campain1may@gmail.com


The May Day rally and celebration in Tehran , which was organized by independent Iranian labour organizations on May 1st, 2009, was violently attacked by security and intelligence forces and many were beaten and over 150 people arrested.
About 100 women and men are still incarcerated. They are detained in unacceptable conditions in section 204 of Tehran ’s Evin Prison.

We condemn these attacks on workers’ rights and independent labour organizations and activists. Workers must have every right to organize and celebrate May Day events. We are asking for the immediate and unconditional freedom of all May Day detainees. We also demand that the government to respect workers’ rights to organize, assemble and strike, put an end to persecution of labour activists, free all jailed workers and not to interfere in the affairs of independent workers’ organizations.

Please mail your protest letter to (optional), and send a copy also to campain1may@gmail.com:

Mr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad,
President of the Islamic Republic of Iran
The Presidency,
Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection,
Tehran , Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: + 98 21 649 58 80

Leader of the Islamic Republic:
Ayatollah Sayed *Ali Khamenei
The Office of the Supreme Leader
Shoahada Street
Qom, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: 011 98 251 7774 2228

Head of the Judiciary:
Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Justice Building
Panzdah-Khordad Square
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: 011 98 21 3390 4986 (may be difficult to reach)

Ambassador, Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations Institutions in Geneva, Chemin du Petit-Saconnex 28, 1209 Geneva, Switzerland, Fax: +41 22 733 02 03, E-mail: mission.iran@ties.itu.int
CC: International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran (info@workers-iran.org).

You can also send your protest letters to the Iranian Embassy in your country: click: http://www.worldembassyinformation.com/iran-embassy/index.html

Demonstration in London

Protest against the arrests of workers at May Day rallies in Iran !

The 2009 May Day rallies in Tehran and Sanandaj were violently attacked by the Iranian security forces and over 150 people arrested.

In Tehran a large crowed responded to a call made by 10 workers’ organisations and institutions and gathered in Laleh Park to celebrate the May Day. The security forces in a brutal and violent attack broke up the rally and arrested over 150 workers. A number of workers were also arrested during a rally in the city of Sanandaj in western Iran .

The only crimes of these workers are attending the May Day rally and protesting against the lack of the most basic workers’ right and demanding the right to organise and to strike.

We, the participants of this protest action, while strongly condemn the arrest of labour activists, do our utmost to have these workers released and call on all progressive and humanitarian organisations to join us and do whatever possible to
free the jailed workers in Iran.

We call on all trade unions and labour and progressive organisations and pro human rights institutions to condemn the Islamic Republic of Iran for the continued imprisonment of workers in Iran and the violation of the most basic human rights and call for the immediate and unconditional release of all the detainees.

Date: Saturday May 16
Time: 2pm
Place: BBC Television Centre, Portland Street , London W1A 1AA

Called by:
- International Alliance in Support of workers in Iran - Britain Section
- March 8 Women Organisation (Iran-Afghanistan)
- Council for the Defence of people’s struggle in Iran
- Worker-communist Party of Iran-Hekmatist
- Worker-communism Unity Party
- Fedaian Organisation (Minority)
- International Iranian Refugee Organisation – Britain
- Association of Iranian Political Prisoners in Exile

Weekly Links 22/02/2009

International
Internationally the political temperature continues to rise, particularly for the Sarkozy regime in France, in Ireland, where 100,000 took to the streets and the inspiring Waterford occupation continues, in Latvia where the government has just fallen, and around the world as governments and their finances begin to look increasingly wobbly.


British Politics
The PCS union is mobilising around the proposed Labour Governmnent Welfare "reforms", with a lobby planned for next week.

Also this week, the Independent revealed the sorry tale of the possible destination of large quantities of British toxic waste.

On his Euro election blog this week, Derek Wall reports on the nasty effects of some EU policies on peasants and workers in Colombia.

There was a good turnout of Greens from London area (with some good work in achieving this from Green Left and the Campaign Against Climate Change)at the Downing Street demo last week against Heathrow expansion.

Peace
More details came out this week on the potentially disastrous crash between British and French nuclear submarines in the Atlantic. BBC report here and CND commentary here.

Gender Politics
For readers in England I have received the following about forthcoming events in Wolverhampton for International Women's Week -

A unique opportunity to listen to two prominent women leaders will take place in Wolverhampton on 12th March 2009. Ludmila Ermakova: Director and founder of the Crisis Centre “Ekaterina”, Ekaterinburg, Russia and Mavluda Shirinova: Director and founder of the Socio-Economic Development Centre “SABR”, Samarkand, Uzbekistan will be presenting their work together for the first time. You will also have the opportunity to listen to a contribution from Natalia Sukhareva, Head of the Sverdlovsk Regional Guild of Lawyers and her colleague Marina Zakharova, who were the first women in Russia to develop a training programme on domestic violence for lawyers.

The presentations will provide an opportunity to discuss the development of services for women abroad as well as debate and bring women’s issues to the forefront. The presentation is organised by The Haven Wolverhampton which has worked in partnership with the above organisations for over a decade and helped to support their work with vulnerable women and children (read more on http://www.havenrefuge.org.uk/International/International.htm).

The presentation will take place on 12th March 2009, from 1.00pm-4.00pm at the Light House Media Centre, Fryer Street, Wolverhampton. The event is free and open to anyone who wishes to learn more about women’s organisations in post-Soviet society. The presentations will be in Russian and in English. Please hurry, as places are limited.

On the same day the Light House will be hosting The Women’s Fair (11am-4pm) organised by WOW, The Haven Wolverhampton, YWCA and V Involved. This is a free event entitled ‘What Women Want’ which will include information stands, workshops covering everything from self defence and confidence building to pampering sessions, a children’s area and a large number of stalls from local groups and organisations. Free snacks and drinks will be provided. What’s more, the night will be rounded off with an evening of comedy from some of the UK best comediennes, courtesy of the Light House.

The events will take place as part of the City celebrations for International Women’s Week 2009 which was supported and managed by Wolverhampton City Council. All International Women’s Week events taking place in Wolverhampton are included in a programme which has been published by Wolverhampton City Council.

Greens Slam Government U-turn On Gay Civil Partnerships

Green Party slams government u-turn on Gay civil partnerships


The Green Party yesterday slammed the government's decision to lend its support to EU countries that do not offer gay civil partnerships, and questioned its commitment to LGBT rights after it back-tracked following pressure from the House of Lords.

Despite the UK 's own recognition of civil partnerships, the government made a submission to the European Court of Human Rights saying Austria should not have an obligation to provide the same rights to same sex couples. The opinion was submitted as part of a case brought by an Austrian couple who argued that Austria had violated their right to a private and family life, the right not to suffer discrimination, and the right to marry.

Green Party MEP for London , Jean Lambert, said:

"Across the EU and in the European Parliament we are pushing for the equal recognition of civil partnerships in all member states. However, it seems that the UK government voluntarily lent its support in this case to EU Member States who do not wish to allow the same rights to same sex couples as heterosexual couples.

"One would hope that a government supposedly committed to equal treatment would also promote the principle outside its own borders.

"This clearly displays the government's own confusion with what it hopes to achieve for LGBT human rights. Human rights are meant to be universal and indivisible, however, it would appear that the British government does not think so and is making it more difficult for those at the EU level who are arguing for the mutual recognition of civil partnerships and marriages."

http://www.lgbtgreens.org.uk/

Weekly Links 26/10/2008

Climate Change Campaigns
Preparation is well under way for this year's global Climate Change demonstrations in December. The London demo, organised by the Campaign Against Climate Change is scheduled for Saturday 6th December and will take the form of a march on Parliament. Before then there is a meeting on the topic of "Is the Government failing us on climate change?" (7pm, Thursday 16th November, Friends House, 173 Euston Road) to be addressed by George Monbiot, Bob Crow, Zac Goldsmith, Ann Pettifor and Phil Thornhill.
There is also going to be a climate conference in Cambridge at the end of January 2009, supported by the Cambridge Climate Coalition and Workers Climate Action, who have their national gathering planned for 15th/16th November.

Unions and Work
British Public Service Union Unison has moved to get a European investigation into the situation of workers and their rights in Colombia.

Peace Movement
Stop the War have a meeting scheduled for 3rd November, just before the US elections. More here.

Amnesty to Screen Film on Situation of Women In Yemen

I have just been informed of the following forthcoming meeting in London hosted by Amnesty International :

Screening of the film 'Amina'

Date: Tue 4 November 2008

Directed by Khadija Al-Salami
Presented by Amnesty International UK’s Womens’ Action Network. A donation to the work of the womens’ action network will be requested at this screening.

In ‘Amina’, Yemeni film maker Khadija Al-Salami enters Yemen's female prison system to find 24-year-old Amina, married at 11 and a mother of three, awaiting execution for killing her husband. The director's full access to Amina and her forthright account of her life exposes the harshness of womens' lives in Yemen.

The film is always powerful, moving and engrossing and tells a story all too common even in the 21st century of misogyny, injustice and the oppression of women, but manages to keep hope burning throughout. The documentary is also a powerful example of how film and cinema can not only document, but act as a force for change, as it highlighted Amina’s fight for justice around the world.

Followed by a discussion with Dina el-Mamoun, Amnesty International researcher and Dr Andrew Long, both experts on human rights in Yemen.

More info here

Weekly Links 21/09/2008

British Politics
It is the annual Party conference of the ruling Labour Party in Manchester this week - long term Labour MP and media personality Diane Abbott explains why she won't be going here.

John McDonnell MP reports on his hopes for the parallel Convention of the Left.

On the same site David Lowry has an article on the nuclear commitments of the Prime Minister.

Red Pepper have established a blog for the Convention of the Left.

Human Rights
Peter Tatchell has alerted us to several significant cases of human rights abuses in recent days. First he had an article in the New Statesman on the situation with Balochistan activists in Pakistan and the UK. Secondly he had an article on low caste Dalit people in India on the Guardian Comment pages. Finally he alerted us to an urgent action alert over the treatment of sexual minorities in Uganda.

Another Green activist has alerted us to the case of Annociate Nimpagaritse, who has been in danger of being deported to a very hazardous situation in Burundi.

On 29th September Mark Thomas has a Book Launch with Amnesty International of his new book, Belching Out The Devil - Global Adventures With Coca Cola.

Green Issues
Helpful news items from EUWID, a site that gives news for the recycling industry - a study has shown that recycling PET plastic bottles is much more environmentally friendly than incinerating them.

On the same site, news that the European recycling rate for paper and board has now hit 64.5%, on course for the 66% by 2010 target that the industry set itself. Good news for all those campaigning on these issues, but we need to keep up the work and pressure for higher rates of recycling in the UK.

Unions and Work
The Communications Workers Union (CWU) report for the UNI global union network on their action at the 2008 European Call Centre Awards Ceremony.

International
Greek ecosocialists (working within the broad left electoral coalition SYRIZA)have organized and now have an excellent website in several languages.

I have had the following solidarity request from the IWW International Solidarity Commission -

Dear friends and comrades,

For two week in late-April and early-May four members of the Industrial Workers of the World traveled to Haiti to meet with labor leaders and document the plight of the Haitian working class. During our trip we encountered a Haiti still reeling from food riots which had gripped it just weeks prior. We found the workers and organizers that we met with to be extremely competent and passionate, but almost completely immobilized by a severe lack of resources.

Now a new crisis grips the Haitian people in the form of over a thousand dead and one million out of a total population nine million people displaced as a result of the recent hurricanes which have battered the island.

Haiti's government struggles to respond to what can only be called a humanitarian disaster, but no longer has the infrastructure after years of brutally enforced hollowing out as a result of neo-liberal economic policies. With the shell of the government unable to respond, and profoundly corrupt and bloated NGOs unable deliver aid to where it is needed, the best hope for Haiti lies in the response of citizens and organizers who live and work in the country.

The Haitians themselves have the skills, the energy, and the organization to accomplish this task, what they lack is the resources.
We are making this urgent appeal for aid in order to help those we met in Haiti, who hosted us in their homes, who fed us when they were hungry, who showed us that they have the know-how and the energy, they just need the resources to get the job done. The International Solidarity Commission of the IWW has established a fund to help get money and aid to the people on the ground that need it most. Please send your donations to
*IWW Haiti Fund c/o General Headquarters
PO Box 23085,
Cincinnati OH 45223*
USA

Defend Iranian Student Under Attack!

Last Sunday Hands Off The People of Iran (HOPI) held a successful fringe at Green Party Autumn conference in London, chaired by my fellow blogger Jim Jepps and featuring Peter Tatchell and Yassamine Mather. The latest mailing from HOPI details the ongoing persecution of Iranian student leader Anooshe Azadbar -

Iranian Student Leader Arrested

On September 4 at 11am, Anooshe Azadbar - overwhelmingly
voted one of its honorary vice presidents by the
British student union at its annual conference in
April - was brought before a court in Iran. She faced
multiple charges:

– plotting against the Islamic regime
– plotting against the Islamic order
– acting against Iranian national interests with a
left wing group

This arose from her prominent involvement in the 4
December 2007 demonstrations where Hands Off the
People of Iran placards were prominent.

Anooshe denied the charges, stating that this was a
legal student demonstration against the threat of war,
not an explicitly anti-regime protest.

In court, it was pointed out that this contradicted
what she had said under interrogation. Anooshe replied
that these statements had been obtained after she had
been subjected to great psychological pressure.

Vague charges were also made that she had either
received financial help from leftwing groups or had
given money to certain groups. Her lawyer denied these
charges, simply pointing out that as his client is
penniless, she is clearly neither receiving money or
in a position to dish it out. The judge eventually
decided that the dossier was 'incomplete' and so
Anooshe must go back to court at a later date for
further questioning.

It is not clear when the next court hearing will be.
She will be summoned to give another interview at the
prosecutor's office and following this there will be
another court appearance. She is not the only student
leader currently facing this oppression – it is
estimated that another four or five other students are
facing similar court procedures.

Ben Lewis of the Hopi steering committee commented:
"The dominant trend within the Islamic regime is
clearly using the tension generated by the
sabre-rattling of imperialism to clamp down on
internal dissent. The harassment of our comrade
Anooshe Azadbar comes at the same time as the
sentencing of women's rights activists of the One
Million Signatures campaign to six-month prison terms
and the ominous threats against the 2003 Peace Nobel
Laureate, Shirin Ebadi, who has been dubbed an agent of Zionism.

"It seems the regime will not tolerate even
mild-mannered reformist attempts to moderate its
repressive rule, let alone the militant action of
students. The threat of war plays into their hands -
that's why we stand against the warmongering of the
imperialists and the repressive regime in Tehran."

Hopi demands that all charges against Anooshe Azadbar
are immediately dropped. Our campaign will be
organising press conferences and protests in
solidarity with the arrested students. See subsequent
releases and our website for details.

Latest from Peter Tatchell

Two recent pieces from Green Party left campaigner and human rights activist Peter Tatchell have come to my attention. In the first he looks at the attacks of the Ahmadinejad regime on trade unions in Iran -

Iran's war on trade unions

President Ahmadinejad is intensifying the repression of labour activists. We should support them in their fight for basic rights.

By Peter Tatchell

The Guardian – Comment Is Free – 18 August 2008

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/aug/18/iran.middleeast

There is a petition on this subject on the Labourstart website that Peter links in his article.

Secondly this week Peter commented on the passing of the former Labour MP Leo Abse who spearheaded changes to the law on homosexuality in Britain in the 1960s -

Leo Abse – Appreciation and disappointment

London – 20 August 2008

"Leo Abse will be remembered by the gay community with a mixture of appreciation and disappointment," said gay human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell.

He was commenting on the death of the former MP, Leo Abse, who helped secure the partial decriminalisation of male homosexuality in 1967.

"Although gay people felt huge relief following the passage of his
1967 gay law reform, we were also angry because his bill perpetuated the criminalisation of many aspects of gay life. It was not the liberation that many of us had wanted and expected," added Mr Tatchell.

"His homosexual law reform bill decriminalised sex between men, but only in narrow circumstances. It retained many discriminatory
provisions, such as the unequal age of consent of 21. These
inequalities were not finally repealed until 2003.

"The Homosexual Law Reform Society was often exasperated by Leo's expectation that it should lobby MPs to win support for his bill, while he ignored their concerns that his limited reform proposals maintained homophobic discrimination.

"Mr Abse could be quite arrogant and patronising towards gay people.
He had a sometimes dismissive, disapproving attitude towards the gay human rights movement; believing that law reform should be left to politicians like him and that gay organisations should play, at best, a marginal, backroom role," said Mr Tatchell.

Chris Moncrieff's Press Association obituary for Leo Abse on the Guardian website is here.

Weekly Links 09/08/2008

Climate Camp Links and Commentary
Jim at Daily (Maybe) has been monitoring developments at and around the Camp For Climate Action all week. Derek reported on an amusing miniature protest at Legoland.

War and Peace
Commentary on the Georgia-Russia conflict from Andy Newman at Socialist Unity Blog here, with "full and frank debate" in the comments section as is usual on SUB!

Reactionaries
A very amusing, but unfortunately only too accurate A-Z of (right-wing) message board commenting was published by Anton Vowl on Enemies of Reason blog this week.

Green Politics
Jim at Daily Maybe has been previewing the forthcoming Autumn Conference of the Green Party of England and Wales. An encouraging development this week was the formation of a Green Left grouping amongst Scottish Greens.

Human Rights
Green Left's blog this week publicised the work of the Green Party LGBT group on Home Office approaches to LGBT asylum claims in the light of several recent high profile cases.

Unions
The Green Party Trade Union blog this week publicised the repression against workers in South Korea by publishing an appeal from Eric Lee of Labourstart.

Against Torture and Death Penalty in Iran

I am back online and spending a lot of time catching up with several weeks backlog. In the meantime I am posting this important appeal for a Kurdish man threatened with execution in Iran. The horrifying torture and abuse that he has already suffered (and which surely must cast doubt on any "confession" extracted) is detailed below.

Farzad Kamangar could face execution in the near future, according to the web site Human Rights Activists in Iran. On 11 July, the Iranian Supreme Court confirmed the death penalty against Kamangar, a 33-year-old Kurdish teacher and trade unionist.
Please send protests individually and where possible from union branches too

APPEALS TO:
Head of the JudiciaryAyatollah Mahmoud Hashemi ShahroudiMinistry of Justice, Ministry of Justice Building,Panzdah-Khordad Square,Tehran,Islamic Republic of IranEmail: info@dadgostary- tehran.ir (In the subject line write: FAO Ayatollah Shahroudi)Salutation: Your Excellency

COPIES TO:
Leader of the Islamic RepublicHis Excellency Ayatollah Sayed 'Ali Khamenei,The Office of the Supreme LeaderIslamic Republic Street - Shahid Keshvar Doust Street,Tehran,Islamic Republic of IranEmail: info@leader. irSalutation: Your Excellency
Minister of IntelligenceGholam Hossein Mohseni EjeieMinistry of Intelligence, Second Negarestan Street,Pasdaran Avenue, Tehran,Islamic Republic of IranSalutation: Your Excellency
Ambassade de la République islamique d'IranAvenue Franklin Roosevelt 15,1050 BruxellesFax : 02.762.39.15Email : secretariat@ iranembassy. be

Below is a letter from Farzad outlining in graphic detail some of the horrific treatment to which he has been subjected. Please rush messages of protest to help save this trade unionist from death and demanding his immediate release:

I Farzad Kamangar also known as "Siyamand" am a teacher in the city of Kamyaran with 12 years of experience. A year before my arrest I was teaching at "Honarestane Karoudanesh" I was also a member of the Kurdish branch of the teachers union in Kamyaran. Before the union was outlawed I was in charge of public relations. I was also a member of the writers association for the newspaper "Mahnameye Farhangi Amuzeshi Royan" which was also eventually banned from publication. I was also board member of "Zist Mehyali" Association in Kamyaran. Starting from the year 2005 I worked as a journalist as well became a member of the Human Rights Activists in Iran.In July of 2006 I came to Tehran to follow upon my brother's medical treatments. My brother is a Kurdish political activist. Upon my arrival in Tehran I was arrested and taken to an unknown place, it was a very small, dark basement. The cells in this place were empty, there were no blankets or rugs or sheets.They took me to a room and as they were interviewing me they asked me about my ethnicity. When I told them that I was of the Kurdish Ethnicity they lashed my entire body. They also lashed me because of the Kurdish music which I had saved on my mobile phone.They would tie my hands, make me sit on a chair and put pressure on the sensitive areas of my body. They would also strip me naked and threaten me with rape by various objects such as wood.My left leg was injured badly during this time. Also due to the beatings I received on my head as well as electric shock I would lose consciousness. I have lost control of my body and shake uncontrollably for no reason. They would chain my feet together and give me electric shocks on sensitive parts of my body which was extremely painful.Later on I was transferred to Section 209 of the Evin Prison. From the moment I entered the Evin Prison they blindfolded me and took me to a small room where they beat me by punching and kicking me.The next day I was taken to the city of Sanandaj. From the moment I entered the Sanandaj Prison I was insulted and beaten brutally. They tied me to a chair and left me there from 7 am until the next day, I was not even allowed to go to the washroom and I had no choice but to wet myself. After numerous beatings and torture sessions once again I was transferred to Section 209 of the Evin Prison. I was interrogated and tortured in one of the rooms on the first level of the prison.On August 27th 2006 as a result of the effect of torture they were forced to take me to the physician in the prison, and the physician made notes of marks of torture and lashing on my back, neck, head thighs and feet.In August and September I was in the solitary cell number 43. Due to the fact that the torture and beatings were unbearable I was forced to go on a 33 day hunger strike. Because they started harassing and summoning my family to court, as well to free myself from torture I tried to commit suicide by throwing myself off a flight of stairs.Also for one month I was imprisoned in an extremely small and smelly cell on the first floor of the prison (cell number 113). During this time I was not allowed visitations or even phone calls to my family. Further I was not allowed to get any fresh air for those three (3) months.After three (3) months I was taken to cell #10 where other prisoners were also present and I was there for two (2) months. At this time I was still not allowed to visit with my family or lawyer.In the month of October I was transferred from the Evin Prison to the Intelligence Ministry Prison in Kermanshah, even though I had still not been charged or found guilty of any crime. This was a small dark prison where brutal torture and murder of political prisoners have taken place.They took off all my clothes and after beating me gave me a set of dirty clothes to wear and took me to my cell. It was a small "secret" cell where no one would be able to hear my cries. The cell was 1.65cm/50cm. It had two light bulbs hanging from the ceiling. This cell had previously been a washroom and it was extremely smelly and cold. There was only a dirty blanket in the room. During sleep my head would bang against the wall because the cell was so small.In order to breathe I was forced to put my head down by the crack between the door and the floor and try to breathe. Also at all odd hours they would bang against my door loudly to prevent me from sleeping. Two days after my arrival they took me to the interrogation room and without asking me any questions started beating me. Then they took me back to my cell. They would turn on the radio loudly in order to prevent me from sleeping or even thinking. In 24 hours I was allowed to use the washroom twice, and once a month I was allowed to take a short shower.Types of Torture I was Subjected to:1. The Football Game: This was a nick name they used for this type of torture. They would strip me naked, four (4) or five (5) interrogators would surround me and pass me to each other by punching and kicking me. They would swear at me when I fell down and continue their beatings.2. The interrogators would force me to stand on one foot for hours while holding my arms above my head and if I got tired they would start beating me again. Because they knew that my left leg had been hurt as a result of torture they would put more pressure on my left leg. They would play Quran tapes very loudly so that nobody could hear my cries.3. During interrogations they would beat me around the face by punching and slapping me.4. There was a torture room in the basement of the jail, but its entrance was hidden by black garbage bags filled with dry bread crumbs. There was also another torture room where they would take me at night, they would tie my arms and legs to a bed and lash me, particularly under my feet, my lower and upper leg as well as my back. This would cause me severe pain and I would be unable to walk for days.5. It was winter and the weather was very cold. They would put me in a particularly cold room which was supposedly an interrogation room and would leave me there all day in the cold, without being interrogated.6. In the city of Kermanshah they would use electric shock on the sensitive parts of my body.7. I was not allowed to use a toothbrush or a toothpaste. They would give me old and smelly left over food which was not edible.To further increase the pressure on me they did not allow me any visitations, and they also arrested the girl that I loved. They would also create problems for my brothers and arrest them. I suffered from a dangerous skin disease as a result of being kept in a dirty cell with dirty clothes and blankets, but I was not allowed to see a doctor.I was forced to go on a 12 day hunger strike to protest the brutal torture I was subjected to. During the last 15 days of imprisonment they changed my cell and took me to an even dirtier and smellier cell with no heat. I was insulted, sworn at, and beaten on a daily basis and even lost consciousness on one occasion as a result of the beatings.One night they took me to the torture cell in the basement, stripped off my clothes and threatened me with rape. In order to free myself from this torture I had to bang my head against the wall a number of times. They also tried to force me to confess to crimes such as indecency and having illicit relationships with women.I could hear the cries and the screams of others from other cells, and there were occasions where inmates would commit suicide.On March 19th 2006 I was transferred to Section 209 of the Evin Prison in Tehran. Although I was in ward 121 of the prison which was a common ward, I was still not allowed any visitations.I was still under great emotional and psychological pressure because of the constant arrest of my family members as well as not being allowed to contact them.My file was finally transferred to Branch 30 the Revolutionary Court in May of 2006 Interrogators would threaten me and tell me they would do their best to have me executed or incarcerated for a long period of time. They also stated that if I was to be found not guilty, they would "deal with me outside of the courtroom."They hated me very much because of my Kurdish Ethnicity, my Journalism and human rights work. They would also not stop torturing me.The Revolutionary Court in Tehran stated that it did not have jurisdiction over my case and my file was transferred to the city of Sanandaj. As support for me increased by individual and Human Rights Organizations the interrogators got more vicious and the pressure on me increased. In August of 2006 I was transferred to the Sanandaj Prison, a place which has become a great nightmare for me, a place that I can never forget for as long as I live. Although no new charges had been brought against me, they started interrogating and torturing me from the moment of my arrival.The Sanandaj Prison has one main corridor and five smaller corridors. They kept on switching my cell on a regular basis. One day the prison Warden along with a number of other guards started beating me for no reason, they took me out of my cell and started beating me along the 18 stairs which led to the basement, and to the interrogation rooms. They hit me on the head from behind very hard which caused me to fall down, then they started dragging me down the 18 stairs. I do not know how they managed to drag me down 18 stairs. When I gained consciousness and opened my eyes I could feel great pain in my head, face and sides.When they saw that I had gained consciousness they started beating me again. After beating me for about an hour they again dragged me up the 18 stairs and threw me in a very small cell in the second corridor. Then two guards started beating me again until I lost consciousness. When I gained consciousness again I could hear the sound of the afternoon prayers. My face and clothes were covered with blood. My face was swollen, my entire body was black and blue from the beatings. I did not have the strength to move. After a few hours they threw me in a shower so that I could clean myself and my clothes.They forced me to put on my wet clothes. That night I was in a very bad physical state, at 12:00 am one of the Intelligence Ministry Officials saw my physical state and were forced to take me to a medical facility outside of the prison. Because of the damage done to my teeth and jaw I was unable to eat for a few days. At night they would open the window of my cell so that I would suffer further from the cold. They would also not give me any blankets and I would be forced to wrap the dirty carpet around me for warmth.I was not allowed visitations, telephone calls or fresh air time. I was also beaten on numerous occasions in the interrogation rooms in the basement. To protest my situation I was forced to go on a five (5) day hunger strike. They would bang my head against the basement walls and from the basement until I reached my cell they would continuously beat me.No new charges were brought against me in Sanandaj or Kermanshah.A famous torture called "the chicken kabab" was used by the prison Warden whenever he conducted the torture sessions. He would tie my arms and legs throw me on the floor and whip me.The cries and whimpers of other prisoners could also be heard, many of whom were women. At night they would open the window, wet my clothes in the basement bathroom after the torture and interrogation and would throw me in my cell with wet clothes. I was also in solitary confinement for about two (2) months in the city of Sanandaj. The Sanandaj Court also stated that they had no jurisdiction over my file and transferred me back to Tehran.Total of more than 8 months in solitary confinement along with physical and psychological torture, has left a very negative effect on my mental health and nerves.After one night of solitary confinement in Section 209 of the Evin Prison, I was transferred to Section 7, where there is great use of illicit drugs by inmates.On November 18th 2007 I was transferred to the Rajaishahr Prison which is an extremely dangerous prison where individuals found guilty of murder, kidnapping, weapons related crimes are imprisoned.
Respectfully
Farzad Kamangar
23 November 2007
Rajai Shahr Prison

Ingrid Betancourt And Other Hostages Are Free

In a mercifully bloodless security forces operation Ingrid Betancourt and other hostages held by the FARC in Colombia were freed last night. Let us hope that this signals a new era in Colombian politics and that Ingrid (former Presidential candidate for the Green-aligned Party in Colombia) can be a voice for peace, justice and freedom in the days ahead. As the FARC wanes the emphasis must be on the release of all other hostages, cessation of terrorist actions and the cessation of the fascist terror against trade unionists and progressives in Colombia, (that along with the Cocaine trade has fed the cycle of violence and hatred). There must be no repeat of the previous ceasefires and "normalisations" where the fascists and elements of the secret state used the cessation of armed conflict and leftist engagement in the electoral process as an opportunity to massacre former guerillas or anyone unfortunate enough to be seen by them as being on the left.

There is a real opportunity for normal civil society and free trade union activity to resume in Colombia and for openness about the effect of the drugs industry on the society and ecomomy. The hope is that this opportunity will be seized. It will entail an accurate appraisal of the Uribe regime which has hitherto not been on the agenda of many Western regimes and their tame journos who have presented him and the regime as a liberal bulwark against narco-terror rather than something more complicated and dubious, with various connections to the rightist terror and narcotics industry that complete the bloody equation of Colombia today. The West could in theory force Uribe to be more like what he likes to be seen as rather than this dubious reality, but let us not raise false hopes. What is needed is global political pressure, and solidarity with the Colombian people who have had enough of the narcotics dealers and terrorists and their apologists, "left" and right. Whilst Uribe and the dubious Pinochet-esque elements that hide behind him may today revel in the reflected glory of the hostage release operation, and whilst Ingrid and her supporters may be extremely grateful for the action of the security forces that rescued her; a time is coming for a more realistic appraisal of the way forward in Colombia and a popular democratic approach that addresses many of the remaining issues that have driven conflict there.

When this new situation comes about leading elements of the regime may have less reason to be cheerful - let us hope that these elements do not act to sustain the conflict, and the FARC, in an attempt to avoid their own position becoming less secure.

More on the situation from Richard Gott here

Timeline here

Global Greens Resolution from May on Ingrid Betancourt here.
( "Ingrid Betancourt, delegate to the 1st Congress of the Global Greens in Canberra 2001, founder of the Green Party Oxigeno de Colombia, member of the Federation of the Green Parties of America, is nominated President of Honor of the Global Greens and of the Coordination of the Global Green parties.")

Support Persecuted Turkish Conscientious Objectors

The following is an action alert I received regarding Turkish conscientious objectors and their treatment by the Turkish state.

Action Alert: Mehmet Bal arrested & tortured

Turkish conscientious objector Mehmet Bal was arrested on 8 June 2008. He was held in custody in Beşiktaş Military Prison where he was beaten by duty officers, and denied water and toilet facilities. The next day, he was sent to the Hasdal Military Prison, where his hair was forcibly cut; the officers in charge incited other prisoners to "do what is necessary"; prisoners beat him with sticks that were almost half a metre long and thick as a human wrist. When he passed out from the beatings, he was dragged into cold showers so that he could regain consciousness and be beaten again.
After the attacks, Mr Bal was taken to Gümüssuyu Military Hospital. Although he could not move his neck, legs and arms from the beatings, he was not admitted to hospital, but taken back to prison on a stretcher. He is now in Adana Military Prison, hundreds of kilometres from his home in Istanbul. His “crime” – refusing to kill.

Turkey has a long history of persecution and torture of political prisoners in particular, including conscientious objectors. Even after release, COs remain “deserters” and their persecution may never end. The right to conscientious objection is not legally recognized.[1]

Osman Murat Ülke was imprisoned seven times for a total of more than two years between between 1996 and 1999. Halil Savda, a Kurdish CO, has been in jail since 27 March 2008, sentenced to 11½ months for refusal. Additionally, he has been sentenced to six months under Article 318 of the civilian penal code [2] for publicly supporting two Israelis who refused to serve in the war against Lebanon in 2006.

Mehmet Tarhan, a Kurdish gay CO, was imprisoned for 11 months in 2005-6, during which time he was tortured, including by an attempted lynching. In January 2006, in Mr Ülke’s case, the European Court of Human Rights ruled against Turkey for the repeated arrests of COs and for making COs lead semi-clandestine lives, amounting to “civil death”; and the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe time after time condemned Turkey for its human rights record. Due to international pressure, Mr Ülke and Mr Tarhan now are out of prison, but could be rearrested at any moment. Turkey promised to legalize conscientious objection but has done less than nothing. Michael Kalmanovitz from Payday which has campaigned with Mr Ülke, Mr Tarhan and Mr Savda said: “COs in Turkey are the tip of a huge anti-militarist iceberg, with perhaps half a million men refusing the draft. The Turkish military, backed by the US, does not hesitate to use torture to try to break their resistance; it needs men to serve in its decades-long war against Kurdish people, a war which is now spilling over into Iraq. We in the international anti-war movement must support Mehmet Bal and other COs. Soldiers’ refusal is vital to ending war. ”

Payday is asking people urgently to write to the Turkish authorities and Members of the European Parliament (see model letter ) to demand:

o Mr Bal’s torture and ill-treatment, including attacks or intimidation by staff and other prisoners, must end now;
o He must be given an independent medical examination and appropriate treatment promptly;
o There must be an immediate investigation, prosecution and punishment of prison staff and prisoners who organised and perpetrated the attacks;
o His immediate and unconditional release.

Furthermore, we demand that the EU make a precondition of any talks about Turkey’s entry into the Union the immediate end of the persecution of conscientious objectors and the recognition of the right to refuse to kill. All of us must have the right to refuse to kill, to live in a world free of war and dictatorship, a world which invests in caring, not killing. Refusing to kill is not a crime and this protection of human life must be supported, not punished.

NOTES [1] Turkey does not recognise the right to conscientious objection, in violation of article 9 of the European Convention of Human Rights, and article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of which it is a signatory. [2] “Persons who give incentives or make suggestions or spread propaganda which will have the effect of discouraging people from performing military service shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a term of six months to two years. If the act is committed through the medium of the press and media, the penalty shall be increased by half.”

Tatchell Urges Mandela To Speak Out On Zimbabwe

Human rights campaigner and Green Party Parliamentary candidate Peter Tatchell has urged Nelson Mandela to speak out on the situation in Zimbabwe ahead of his birthday concert in London.

"Mugabe has murdered more black Africans than the British during
the period of colonialist occupation of Zimbabwe. He has murdered more
black Africans than the evil apartheid regime in South Africa.
"His slaughter of 20,000 civilians in Matabeleland in the 1980s was
the equivalent of a Sharpeville massacre every day for over nine
months. Once a freedom fighter, he is now Ian Smith with a black face
– only many times worse.

People around the world, including Zimbabweans, supported Nelson
Mandela's freedom struggle against apartheid. It is now time that
Mandela reciprocated this solidarity by calling for an end to Mugabe's
beatings, torture and murder. He should call for new,
internationally-supervised free and fair elections.

Other African leaders, including Thabo Mbeki, also need to speak out
against Mugabe's despotism. The people of Zimbabwe deserve a
democratic, representative government that ensures equality and
justice for all its citizens. These were the goals of the African
liberation movements of the last 60 years. They are still worthy goals
today," said Mr Tatchell.

”

More here.

Weekly Links - 22/06/2008

UK Politics News Stories
Lots of interesting, if sometimes a little depressing, stuff being reported this week. It seems all the millions spent by the climate change denial industry and the busy beaver efforts of their conspiracist right-wing errand boys on blogs and comments sections have not been in vain as a majority of Brits still "doubt the evidence" on climate change. Semi-reasonable comment (albeit from his establishment viewpoint) from Andrew Rawnsley here, but as usual the cynics, pessimists, liars and fascists are out in force on the comments section.

Meanwhile there is to be a much trumpeted "Green Energy Push" in Britain, but George Monbiot has picked out some of the flaws in the plan and its likely implementation. One thing I picked out was the lack of mention of the potential use of biogas from anaerobic digestion of food waste etc - let us hope that this is not a further signal of government "capture" by the big waste companies eager to incinerate 50% of Britain's waste and call this "sustainable" and "green" energy from waste. These firms have just managed to get the tame elements of the EU to pass legislation favourable to their plans in the face of Green opposition.

UK Royal financial reports are due out in the next few days, with the monarchist spin machine presenting it as "value for money" - the campaign group Republic is ready with the facts and arguments for an end to expensive and undemocratic hereditary offices of state. Republic are also running a campaign to challenge the oath of allegiance to the monarch.

Industrial
It is the British Isles Regional Organising Committee (BIROC) of the Industrial Workers Of the World (IWW) meeting this weekend, with preparations well under way for the international General Assembly of the IWW in London at the end of August. Before then, Wobblies internationally will be involved in a mobilisation to highlight the union-busting tactics of Starbucks. IWW members at Starbucks branches in the US have been under attack and now the IWW is linking up for action with the Spanish CNT union and the international organisation they are affiliated to the IWA/AIT (International Workers' Association) as a CNT member in Sevilla has been fired for union activity. The day of action is scheduled for July 5th.

It was the British public services union, Unison, conference this week and as well as warning the governing Labour Party over local government workers' pay they passed a motion on the situation in Palestine.

The RMT (transport) union has its' conference in Nottingham this week and there is a fringe meeting put together by the Campaign Against Climate Change Trade Union Group at 1.10pm at the Rope Walk Pub on Derby Road.

Green Issues


Despite all the campaigning by green groups over battery recycling the British authorities have failed to act and now face penalties under new EU legislation.

There is impressive mobilising and campaigning going on against incineration in various parts of the world, including the Basque country where 2000 demonstrated on the streets of San Sebastian last week. There was also a protest in Barcelona, Catalonia, where three weeks ago 1,000 people marched against a project from the Lafarge cement plant to burn different types of waste, including sewage sludge, tyres and solvents. The local "platform" against incineration also collected 6,200 signatures against this project.

Human Rights
The campaign for the freeing of Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine continues, with a new petition. The speech given by actor Danny Glover at a vigil for the campaigner, and for freedom for Haiti is on You Tube here.

There is a demo supporting the long suffering opposition to the Mugabe regime in Zimbabwe in London on Monday 23rd June. More from Action For Southern Africa here.

Blogs

Aled has a blog piece on Paul Mobbs' Energy Beyond Oil.

Derek reports that the Greens are likely to run a candidate in the Howden and Haltemprice by-election to give a voice to all those who support the former MP's stance on 42 days detention but vigourously oppose him on just about everything else and so could not bring themselves to vote for him. By voting Green people will be able to register opposition to the detention without trial moves without allowing a socially reactionary and economically neo-liberal Tory to present his party as the sole guardian of our rights and liberties. Elsewhere, Labour Left Dave Osler has taken Tony Benn to task for backing the Tory campaign.

Jack Ray is following the European football, Liam MacUaid and Dave Osler reflect on the anti-fascist event in London on Saturday, and the Socialist Unity blog reports on a call for the abolition of prescription charges.

42 Days

Who, say 15 years ago, would have thought we would have a British Labour government, yes, a Labour government scuttling round begging for the votes of Ulster Loyalists, a Tory mouthpiece of Catholic reaction and a recent convert to the hard right populism of UKIP to get passed a bill to introduce in Britain the possibility of 42 (yes 42!) days detention without charge. Strange Days indeed. An appropriate moment, perhaps, for some of the last remaining principled and civil libertarian holders of Labour Party membership cards to tear them up and resign (as commentator Conor Foley announced in the Guardian yesterday that he was doing).
So the ratchet of reaction, corporatism and authoritarianism moves up another ratchet. (Although it could happen that the dogs breakfast of moves and concessions that this new detention legislation represents could get into all kinds of trouble once it moes out of the Commons into the Upper House and the Courts) We await the result of the Irish vote on the Lisbon Treaty to see whether any obstacles are going to be thrown in the way of this authoritarian corporatist process on a larger European scale.

Weekly Links - 12/05/2008

Blogs
Critical Labour Left blogger Dave Osler has started a discussion on the class nature of Ken Livingstone's "progressive alliance" following Ken's latest Guardian article.

Green Left blogger Jim has an article on the Green-Ken "alliance" from the Green perspective (responding to the Independent publishing a critical letter on it from a "former" ultra-rightist, political tourist and all round dodgy individual), and also talks about Burma.

Sian Berry, the Green's Mayoral candidate posted her response to the result of the campaign on her New Statesman blog on Friday.

Meanwhile, GPEW Male PS Derek Wall posted an appeal for support for Zimbabwe's persecuted trades unionists on the Socialist Unity Blog.

Human Rights
The Amnesty International short film The Stuff Of Life exposing the reality of the torture known as "waterboarding" has been creating a real stir. You can watch it (not for the faint hearted or squeamish) here.

Nuclear Issues
An interesting analysis of some of the reasons why the British Government's enthusiasm for nuclear new build is misplaced by a member of the ruling party and former Cabinet Minister was published in the Guardian last week.

The Left
Former Soviet dissident and Socialist Boris Kagarlitsky had an article published by the CPGB this week giving his take on the choices facing the Left in Europe. Basically he diagnoses a fatal combination of utopianism and then disastrous alliance with the neo-liberal captured "centre left" in the name of "realism".

International
The Australian Green Left magazine last month had an article on the global food crisis and the role played in that by Biofuels.

Green Politics
The Crewe and Nantwich By-election is scheduled for next week on 22nd May and campaigning is well under way. The Greens have a young candidate, Robert Smith, fighting on a progressive platform with a focus on transport and the issue of the disaster that has been rail privatisation.

Weekly Links - 13/04/2008

Peace Movement
One of the biggest UK news stories this week has been the stunning victory at the High Court of The Corner House and the Campaign Against The Arms Trade against the Government over the dropping of the BAE-Saudi arms deal inquiry. This has excited much comment across the blogosphere and elsewhere, and is now putting pressure on Gordon Brown to answer serious questions.
CAAT have announced a demonstration outside the BAE AGM on 7th May. They also have an online petition to the Prime Minister. Here is how the High Court victory was reported on the CAAT blog.

Meanwhile, in Wales a demonstration is scheduled for Saturday 26th April about the privatised St Athan Military Academy. Assemble at 1.30pm on the lawns opposite Cardiff City Hall for a March at 2pm.

Workers' Struggles
The teacher's strike planned for 24th April is gaining momentum, and Stroppyblog lists some of the marches and rallies planned around the country on the day. The Green Party Trade Union Group blog has a report from the recent NUT conference by Phillipe Harari, which concludes "this was a great Conference, showing the NUT at its best – united in fighting for a fairer education system within a fairer society."

The Blood Service Workers' demo at the NBS HQ in Watford took place on Friday.



Here are photos from other actions during the ongoing campaign.

In Health, there is much disquiet over the behaviour of Unison representatives in the lastest negotiations, particularly New Labour candidate-to-be, Karen Jennings - more from Martin Wicks' blog here, and Gill George (Unite union NEC member) here.

Green Politics
Green Party Mayoral candidate Sian Berry has blogged her reasons for standing on her New Statesman blog. Her percentage in the opinion polls has significantly improved since the start of the campaign.



Rupert Read has recently blogged a summary of the Norwich Green Party manifesto for the local elections there, where the Greens are challenging to become the main opposition Party. The London Greens also launched their manifesto this week.

International
London Green MEP Jean Lambert this week called for action on human rights in Bangladesh to ensure free and fair elections there. Green Human Rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has been speaking out on the situation in Zimbabwe, China and Tibet. Renegade Eye has stimulating posts on Zimbabwe and Lebanon.
Indymedia has a report that armed Canadian coastguards have stormed the Sea Shepherd ship, (in the area to obstruct the seal cull), and arrested the crew. Indymedia also has more news on the repression directed towards Mexico's indiginous community in the Oaxaca area.