IMPERIALIST POWERS, the International Monetary Fund, and multinationals are bellowing over Zimbabwe’s move to expropriate half the land of white commercial farmers and give it to landless peasants and veterans of the 1970s war of liberation. But since the farmers hold 70 percent of the arable land, all of it robbed from Africans, this action… Read more »
africa
Nigerian women beat Big Oil: But success comes amid rising persecution by religious fundamentalists
For almost half a century, multinational Goliaths like ChevronTexaco and Shell have pumped black gold and billions of dollars in profits out of the Niger Delta of southern Nigeria, at a tremendous cost to the people who live there. Gas flares, leaks and spills, and acid rain from giant oil operations have fouled the land,… Read more »
Violence in Liberia: the role of imperialism
On August 11, combat-weary Liberians understandably welcomed Nigerian troops as “liberators” after 14 years of civil war. That the Nigerians were a proxy for Uncle Sam is suggested by the fact that 2,300 Marines stood by watchfully in warships off the coast of Monrovia, the capital city. On the surface, it seems as if U.S…. Read more »
AIDS in Africa: Bush’s bogus plan
As AIDS wreaks devastation on the African continent, imagine a health service organization that’s reluctant to give out condoms to people who are HIV-positive but instead seeks to stem HIV transmission by promoting abstinence and monogamy. Welcome to the world of PEPFAR (President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), George W.’s “feel good” proposal rolled out… Read more »
Genetically engineered foods produce a flourishing crop of resistance in the Third World
One of the boldest claims made by the biotech industry is that genetically modified (GM) foods can wipe out hunger in the developing world. But GM crops have never resulted in reduced prices for consumers and have in fact produced lower yields. They are developed primarily to feed livestock, not people. And most poor countries… Read more »
Global tug-of-war over gay rights: Breakthroughs made from Spain to South Africa despite fierce opposition
No country is a paradise for lesbian/gay/bi/transgendered people, and every gain is fought tooth and nail by the globally pernicious right wing. However, gay movements and brave individuals around the world are pushing forward. Some of the most dramatic advances have been achieved in highly developed countries like Britain and Canada, where gays are not… Read more »
Africa: Cotton farmers challenge subsidies in rich nations
In recent years, cotton farmers in Mali, Burkina Faso, Senegal, and other West African nations have seen the prices they fetch for their crops plummet. Many farmers already struggled on less than $100 per year; dwindling earnings mean they now face a crisis of food and livelihood. And governments reliant on revenue from cotton exports… Read more »
Tragedy in Darfur: unraveling the real causes
A few years ago, what people in the U.S. knew about Sudan, the largest country in Africa, likely came from the movie Lawrence of Arabia. Most had never heard of Darfur, the suffering, tumultuous region in western Sudan. Today, Darfuris are caught in a grim conflict that has killed up to 400,000 people and displaced… Read more »
Wildcat strikes sweep the garment industry
Wildcat strikes, conducted by workers who are overwhelmingly women, have hit the garment industry in several countries. The actions, which include everything from walkouts to factory occupations, most recently hit Cambodia, Colombia, Egypt, and Bangladesh. Last year, a wildcat strike wave also hit Vietnam. The strikes show how terrible conditions still are in the clothing… Read more »
The bombing of Somalia: U.S. grabs for power in Horn of Africa
Why is the U.S. Air Force strafing southern Somalia? Why is the carrier USS Eisenhower in the Indian Ocean? What possible threat is Somalia to the U.S.? The White House claims the right to attack other countries to get suspected al-Qaeda members. But no al-Qaeda operatives were hit on Jan. 8, the first acknowledged U.S…. Read more »
