Tue 23 Jan, 03:59

2017: Another BEATING for Press Freedom in Turkey 11:33 Fri 19 Jan by séamas carraher 0 comments

For the second year running CPJ, (the Committee to Protect Journalists) finds Turkey tops the list in its diligence in oppressing journalists and writers, only matched by China and Egypt...

The Assassination of Sakine Cansiz, Fidan Dogan and Leyla Saylemez 16:27 Thu 18 Jan by séamas carraher 0 comments

On a day this week, January 9th, 2013, Sakine Cansiz (Sara), Kurdistan National Congress (KNK) Paris Representative Fidan Doğan (Rojbin), and Leyla Şaylemez were shot dead in their Paris office

Turkey: Kurdish left-wing Deputies Jailed 11:18 Fri 12 Jan by séamas carraher 0 comments

In the first days of 2018, the Peoples’ Democratic Party released the list of HDP deputies jailed in Turkey in the last number of days

TURKEY: NEW YEAR? NEW STRUGGLE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS 20:57 Wed 10 Jan by séamas carraher 0 comments

Following Turkish President (and Chairman of the ruling Justice and Development Party) Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s threats last summer to impose prison uniforms on Turkish political prisoners (following the appearance in court of a post-coup soldier wearing a tee-shirt with the word “HERO” on it) the year has ended with the passing of Emergency Decree 696...

Cizre: Two Years On Still Waiting 20:10 Thu 04 Jan by séamas carraher 0 comments

“For 79 days, the people of Cizre witnessed an exceptional massacre in history. For the sake of a humane and free life, they lost their daughters and sons during the resistance. Yet they have not surrendered, and have not asked for mercy.” (The Cizre Report, April 17, 2016, Peoples’ Democratic Party [HDP])

A Visit with an H Block Prisoner 00:26 Wed 13 Dec by Michael Steinbertg 0 comments

Last August (1990) I was among a delegation from Irish Northern Aid (Noraid), which visited current prisoners in Long Kesh.

Statement on the Trump Visit to the Philippines 06:27 Sun 19 Nov by Laban ng Masa (LnM) 0 comments

Filipino left coalition condemns Trump's visit, demands end of support for Duterte's human rights abuses

Measles Alert 18:51 Wed 15 Nov by Vax Now ! 5 comments

Responding to a recent measles outbreak in which 17 adults and children have been infected with the highly infectious disease , Dr Deirdre Mulholland, Director of Public Health for HSE East, has urged people to get themselves and their dependants vaccinated , saying, “the best protection is to be fully vaccinated with 2 doses of MMR vaccine."
The majority of the patients currently being treated are from north Dublin; five are from Meath, the HSE said today. A spokeswoman for the Measles Outbreak Control Team said that alerts regarding the disease have been sent to all Emergency Departments and GPs in Dublin, and Meath.

Religious Groups Call for Aid and Debt Relief for Puerto Rico and Dominica 23:49 Sun 22 Oct by Kate Zeller 0 comments

More than 130 faith communities across the United States are praying and acting for hurricane victims ‎during religious services this weekend.

Good Cop/Bad Cop : Spanish Guardia Civil attack Catalan president's electoral vote centre. 10:17 Sun 01 Oct by iosaf mac diarmada 3 comments

A little over a week ago the Spanish state attempted to take control of the Mossos d'Esquadra the Catalan national police force whose men and women have sworn an oath of fealty to Catalonia and answer to the Catalan government "la Generalitat". The Mossos sidestepped all such attempts.
The Spanish ministry of the Interior ordered the Mossos to cordon off with "do not cross police" tape and guards all potential 6000+ electoral centres. A civil rights movement emerged intent on protecting those centres. Friday afternoon parents and teachers as well as children stayed on.at
At 06h23 this morning I went to the school in my area, known to some as the "Forat". A neighbourhood which has a long and sometimes difficult history of confrontation policing (lives lost or ruined), and is considered by some the anarchist heart of the city. I joined the civil rights movement there.

Brazil wants true justice for Lula! Jan 13 by João Mac Unaima 0 comments

Lula's trial must be annulled, Sergio Moro must be removed from the magistracy, dangerous element he is, and Wilson Center’s staff must recycle their behavior patterns! Humanity is tired of this mud! We all know that much more and much better is possible!

Sex, Drugs and Rollickin' Roles: Dec 14 by Caoimhghin Ó Croidheáin 0 comments

Christmas is an ancient feast that has many positive associations for people around the world. While the bible places the birth of Christ in Bethlehem it does not say when, but by the 4th century the Churches in the East were celebrating it on January 6 and the Churches of the West on December 25.

One thing is certain about Christmas is that it is rooted in many traditions and superstitions relating to nature that existed long before Christmas and many have continued in one form or another to the present day. The many strands of Christmas can be seen in the variety of different traditions associated with, or originating in, places all over Europe. These strands are, inter alia, the solstice, the Nativity, Saturnalia, Yuletide, St Nicholas, Father Christmas, and Grandfather Frost (Ded Moroz).

The Not-So-Subtle Art of Protesting: Dec 04 by Caoimhghin Ó Croidheáin 0 comments

In 1762 Jean Jacques Rousseau published his book, The Social Contract, in which he wrote,

“In Greece, all that the populace had to do, it did for itself; it was constantly assembled in the public square.”

Rousseau was well aware of the importance of public spaces when it came to political change. Indeed, the storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789 showed the power of the populace against armed guards defending the medieval fortress, armory, and political prison in Paris which at the time represented royal authority. Interestingly enough, the decision had also been taken to replace the Bastille with an open public space and the fortress was demolished within five months. Since then many open public spaces around the world have been the centres of political activity.

Strikes and Solidarity: Interview with a worker at Irish Rail Dec 02 by wsm 0 comments

Irish Rail workers were out on strike recently. What’s going on?

The WSM recently caught up with J, an activist and worker at Irish Rail, to find out.

For background details, see our analysis, "Why Irish Rail workers are right to strike", published here. https://wsm.ie/c/why-irish-rail-workers-are-right-strike

The October 1917 Revolution and Lenin Nov 27 by Party of the Laboring Masses (PLM) 0 comments

Contribution to the Discussion on the Centinnial of the October 1917 Bolshevik Revolution

Government Shutdown Solutions Could Leave Out Disaster Aid for Puerto Rico Jan 19 Jubilee USA Network 0 comments

As the Senate and White House struggle to avert a government shutdown, US disaster victims from Puerto Rico to Texas worry a deal on relief and recovery aid will continue to be delayed.

Ireland must follow UK in pledge to eliminate plastic waste, say environmentalists Jan 13 0 comments

A repost from Green News by Niall Sargent highlight the presence of plastic microbeads in every day products and why they should be banned immediately.

The State must step up its game to tackle plastic pollution in the wake of the UK’s new pledge to eliminate plastic waste by 2042, Ireland’s leading environmental coalition has said.

Launched by Prime Minister Theresa May this morning the 25 Year Environment Plan sets out the UK’s strategy to tackle plastic waste over the next quarter century.

Shannon Vigil Jan 12 LLA 0 comments

Anti-war meeting at the Shannon Airport.

To the people of Ireland: Save Parvani Hall Jan 10 0 comments

Parvani Hall stands beautifully and gracefully upon the ancestral lands of Shivam O'Brien, the maker and visionary of this magnificent building. Galway County Council want to knock this building down on the grounds that it is 'not sustainable' yet it is the absolute epitome of sustainable architecture, exemplary in fact. They refused meetings with Shivam, cost him and his family many years of aggravation and 22,000 euros in cost. Support him in his own right, on his own land, to be and build and live peacefully, in beauty and in harmony with the land.

Build For A Major Housing Protest On April 7th Dec 20 0 comments

The housing crisis is a running sore in Irish society. It cries out for a campaign of ‘people power’ to force through a programme of council house building, rent controls and to end landlord evictions.

For the past two years, People Before Profit has been working with others to help create a coalition that can bring tens of thousands onto the streets.

That coalition is the National Homeless and Housing Coalition.