1995 WILL BE seen as the beginning of the end for the hated double taxation water charges in Dublin and throughout the country. For the first time in almost a decade, the year closed without a single water disconnection for non-payment in the entire country.
On November 18th this year after an overnight battle with police and fascist gangs on one side and Greek anarchists on the other riot police stormed Athens Polytechnic and arrested 513 of the 2000 mostly anarchist occupiers.
Workers at the Early Learning Centre Toy Shop, in Cork, have been on strike since early December. Management at the Cork store, have refused to recognise the workers' union, Mandate, or to negotiate on pay and conditions.
SINCE THE DAYS of Concerned Parents Against Drugs (CPAD), the growth of the heroin problem in inner-city Dublin has largely gone without comment. In the last few months, two factors have pushed it back into the spotlight - the government's declaration of a 'War on Drugs', and the emergence of the city-wide campaign against heroin which has been set up by Inner City Organisations Network.
MEN SHOT DEAD, many more beaten up. Attacks in Armagh, Belfast, Derry, Dublin, Dundalk and Kerry. In most cases the reason given was that the people being punished were ecstasy dealers. The murders in the six counties were claimed by Direct Action Against Drugs.
The heroin epidemic in Dublin is causing major problems for addicts and for the communities where they live. Oddly enough you would not get any inkling of this crisis from the bourgeois press. That is because the epidemic and its effects are confined to the inner city and the working class suburbs like Ballymun, Tallaght, Clondalkin and Blanchardstown.
Travellers and their supporters held a protest on December 10th last year. The march was against the Dublin local authorities' policy of herding Travellers into primitive temporary sites and forced removal of Travellers into these officially constructed shanty towns.
In the short space of a few years the small peasants and agricultural labourers demonstrated that, far from chaos, anarchism was an efficient, desirable and realisable method of running things. There were unprecedented levels of voluntary collectivisation throughout the land on the anti-fascist side.
In the past few years, issues concerning the family and the place of women have been at the centre of Irish politics - in part because Catholic church thinking has long dominated these areas of life in Ireland. Things first began to change for the better in the early 1970s when women began to fight back against Church rule.
As an Irish delegation visits Mexico to better its knowledge of the struggle there and to express solidarity with the Zapatista EZLN rebels
From Gangster to revolutionary - This book tells the brutally honest story of a Black American brought up in the ghettos of LA to become, alongside George Jackson, one of the most intransigent prison rebels of that period of the late 60s and early 70s
The anarchist movement throws up many men and women, who become famous because of their actions, ideas and writings. Perhaps the best known of them all was a Russian, Mikhail Bakunin.
In 1989 one of the first anarchist organisations in modern African history came into existence. This was the Awareness League of Nigeria.Now a further organisation has begun to work for the objective of anarchism in Africa - this is the Workers Solidarity Federation (WSF) of South Africa.
The strike wave that rocked France in the closing month of 1995 is yet another example of the great fighting spirit of the French working class. Yet when we look at the causes of the strike and the relative weakness of French workplace organisation the question that emerges is 'if they can do it, why can't we'?
From September 1991-December 1993, the U.S. Commerce Department approved over 350 export licenses, worth more than $27 million, for torture and police equipment
ANARCHISM is about individual freedom. But it is also about building a society that has a fair system of wealth distribution. For this reason, anarchists consider themselves to be democrats.
This year alone the British Government will spend £6.3 billion on the procurement of new weaponry. Meanwhile, the US government is set to spend nearly £40 billion in a similar drive.
A reminder of how stupid and cruel capitalism is
As well as announcing some new publications we underline our opposition to the anti-Water Charges Campaign standing candidates in elections
Laurence Doran a retired worker has thrown down the gauntlet to the council by refusing to defend himself and court and daring them to cut off his water.
The Early Learning Centre strike continues, what can be done to help it win.
How big a problem is hopelessness in Ireland and who is most affected
Twenty years ago a squatting campaign forced the council to house hundreds. Here is how it happened.
In what has become a familiar pattern the media and Gardai have been setting up Travellers for racist attacks again.
After the end of the IRA cease-fire what sort of politics are needed to bring permanent peace
Workers in northern Ireland are paid less then workers in Britain or the rest of Ireland.
... and that's official according to the appeals tribunal
The welfare state is under attack again in Ireland, we look at the figures and reasons behind this
An article by a Lebanese anarchist on the struggle in Lebanon
Daniel Guerins book Anarchism has been published in Arabic but your help is needed with its distribution.
A report on a recent anarchist conference in Mexico
The National Garment Workers Federation which has links with anarcho-syndicalists unions is fighting against a 7 day week.
Report on the 8th Congress of the Bulgarian anarchist federation
A recent discussion in the SAC saw the union reaffirm its libertarian politics
The Spanish revolution of 1936 saw the emergence of an anarchist womens organisation with between 20,000 and 35,000 members.
What exactly is crime anyway, who defines it and how is it enforced.
Anarchists talk a lot about Direct Action, what does it mean
An introduction to the life and ideas of Malatesta
The world bank is the mechanism by which the bosses force whole country to tow, the line. How is this done?
The autobiography of British Anarchist, Albert Meltzer who has died since this review was written.
An introduction to the work of Michael Bakunin
In case it's needed more on how stupid and cruel capitalism is
We look back at the protest organised against the US warship, the JFK which recently visited Dublin.
In the light of the latest crime scare and the extra powers provided to the police we look at what the state is really up to.
Again this year loyalist parades were forced through nationalist areas destroying any illusions that the British state is neutral in the 6 counties.
On wringing bosses, women workers being ripped off, a rebel union conference and politics in Irish schools.
The state is pleading with the union leaders to put a lid on the recent increase in strikes. Will the rank and file workers be able to stop this happening.
An interview with a striker during the recent An Post dispute
After a long and bitter strike the Early Learning Strikes have defeated the bosses in Cork. We report on this victory.
The anti-water charges campaign is heading for victory with 14,000 paid up members and 83% of households behind in paying the bills or having paid none at all.
The Canadian state has raided anarchists in Quebec in response to growing social unrest.
Current Irish president Mary Robinson fancies herself as UN president and has recently been talking about the role of the UN. We look at what the UN is really used for.
Veteran British anarchist Albert Meltzer died in May this year
Four short pieces from Germany, Spain, Belorussia and Poland about anarchist activities in those countries.
The Liverpool dockers are now coming up to one year on strike in their heroic struggle against the logic of capitalism.
The first two weeks of the Spanish Revolution of 1936
What do anarchists mean when they say they are against the state and how do we see society functioning without an elite running it on behalf of everyone else.
A brief look at the life and writings of Emma Goldman
When anarchists say "property is theft" does this mean they are after your tooth brush?
Current Irish president Mary Robinson fancies herself as UN president and has recently been talking about the role of the UN. We look at what the UN is really used for.
|
|