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What is
Imperialism
Imperialism is the process whereby powerful groups try to extend
their power and increase their wealth by bringing ever more of the
world under their domination. Although the word comes to us from
Roman times, imperialism has been around for a lot longer?
Slaughter and Lies
Over the past decade Chechnya has been torn apart by a vicious and
brutal war between Russia and Chechen separatists.
WSM position paper on Imperialism
- The Gulf Crisis (1991)
- The Gulf War (1991)
Imperialism is not just a buzz
word
What we are seeing is the re-division of the world. The cold war has
ended the same way as the 1st and 2nd World Wars, with a furious
scramble by the victors for the prizes. Within a decade it is likely
that Japan will be threatening world peace, or at least that is what
we will be told.
Globalisation: the end of the
age of imperialism?
IT HAS BECOME increasingly fashionable to use the term globalisation
as a description of the international economy and international
political relations
Anarchism and
nationalism
Almost all of our present nations, and the very idea of the modern
nation itself, are relatively modern inventions. With the rise of the
bourgeois state in the nineteenth century, ruling classes needed an
ideology to make their subjects identify with the state in which they
lived
Useful links
Israel/Palestine: Roots of the
conflict (May 2002)
The historical roots of the current conflict in the Middle East with
a statement by Israeli
anarchists on the occupation
Up Against the Wall
An Eyewitness Report from Palestine
Book Review - Palestine by Joe
Sacco
In the book '1984', Winston Smith is told what the future is going to
be like. He is told to imagine a boot grinding a face into the ground
over and over again.
Palestine and the International
Solidarity Movement
The ISM has had a good deal of success in helping out in some of the
day to day situations faced by ordinary Palestinians
April 27th 2002 - Second
Palestinian solidarity march in Dublin [with photos]
On Saturday 27th Dublin saw its second major demonstration against
the Israeli occupation of Palestine in a month. The march had been
called around the slogans 'Justice for Palestine' and 'No war on
Iraq' although most placards concentrated on the Palestinian
situation.
April 6th 2002 -
Protests against Israeli
occupation in Dublin [with photos]
Some 1,500 to 2,500 people marched though Dublin on Saturday
demanding an end to the Israeli occupation and freedom for Palestine.
The demonstration was the culmination of a week of activity that
included a six-day occupation of a tree in the car park of the
Israeli embassy
Pogroms in Palestine
An Israeli anarchist on Jewish resistance to the Israeli state
Useful links
[for Irish opposition to the war see the Shannon airport index
Bad things happen: Tales from the
frontline in Iraq
"It was when we started killing innocent civilians. We killed over
thirty of them in a three month time period when I was there, in a
clear violation of the Geneva conventions."
The Fight for a Free Iraq
What is life like for the Iraqi workers caught under the occupation
and all too often in the cross-fire? The US/UK occupying force is not
too happy that Iraqi workers are organizing themselves rather then
obeying the puppet Iraqi Governing Council
Iraq war aftermath -
Slaughtering democracy
The US/UK war against Iraq, trumpeted as a war for 'democracy',
illustrates what this 'democracy' means in practice.
Why does the US want war with
Iraq?
Like most other wars, this is about control of resources.Wars are
also good for the economy, and the US economy certainly could need
some help at the moment.
New World
Order : Same Old Slaughter
[1992]
The imperialists' victory over Iraq was no surprise given
their massive technical and military capacity. What is more
interesting is the ready help given them by the "free press". This
article focuses on how the media provided a "licence to kill" in the
Gulf.
Anarchist News No. 9 opposes the visit of the US warship to Dublin and exposes its role as a killing machine during and after the Gulf War. [July 1996]
Iraq : This is
Terrorism [Spring 1999]
The US has waged war for the last ten years against the ordinary
people of Iraq, not against Saddam Hussein.
For articles on opposition to the war on Iraq in Ireland see Stop refuelling at Shannon warport
Liberia: The myth of
humanitarian intervention
Every so often the newspapers fill with stories of a crisis in some
third world country. We see pictures on our screens of gunmen,
starvation and suffering; inevitably we hear calls for humanitarian
intervention.
War: who is it good
for?
As war looms in the Gulf again we can be sure that, whatever the
outcome, hundreds of thousands of lives will be destroyed by the
conflict.
War is the health of the
state
War is always in their sights. Six days after the Trade Centre
strikes in New York the Bush Administration had already initiated
plans to take Iraq out
US anarchists against the
war
One of the favourite arguments of the pro-war crowd in Ireland is
that anyone who opposes the war is 'anti-American'.
International Direct
Actions against the war
Listing of international actions against the war
Direct Action and
fighting to win
Anarchists are not particularly interested in protesting against the
evils of the world - we would prefer to abolish them!
Why does the US want war with
Iraq?
Like most other wars, this is about control of resources.Wars are
also good for the economy, and the US economy certainly could need
some help at the moment.
more Material on the current Gulf War
The final victory will be the
people's
An interview with Farzad, an Iranian Dissident in Exile in Ireland.
Restlesness in the Andes
The Bolivian people suffer from one of the most blatant and shameless
exploitations in the world by both their local and foreign rulers.
They have a long tradition of organisation and direct action.
Millionaires go to WAR! Expect
world's workers to fight for them!!
What do Bin Laden and George Bush have in common?
Anarchist News 26 Against capitalist
war and terror
The terrorist attacks on the USA of September 11th which killed over
6,000 people have rightly outraged not only the citizens of the US
but also the vast majority of the rest of the people of the world
The media and the war
Terry Clancy, of the Free Earth website, examines the 'free' press to
find out why we shouldn't expect them to provide neutral or impartial
coverage, especially during a war.
Dec 15th - Anti War message
rings in ears of US Marines at Shannon airport [with photos]
Men, women and children have been bombed and gunned to death by US
forces in Afghanistan and on Saturday 15th of December men women and
children from the four corners of Ireland gathered at Shannon airport
to protest at the use of that facility as a stop over and refuelling
point for US death squads.
Nov 4th 2001 Anti-war march
in Dublin [with pictures]
Saturday November 4th saw a large anti war demonstration march
through Dublin city centre. This reflects growing opposition to the
US war against Afghanistan following the bombing of Red Cross
warehouses, a hospital and dozens of homes.
Sept 30th 2001 - Anti-war
demonstration in Dublin [with pictures]
Between 800 and 1,000 people marched through the centre of Dublin
yesterday as part of an anti-war protest called by Globalise
Resistance. This was one of many protests internationally this
weekend.
Sept 26th 2001 - First
major anti - war meeting in Dublin
An anti war rally in Dublin last night confirmed that opposition to
Bush's war is growing as fast in Ireland as it is internationally.
Resistance to war
A look at the history of anarchist and other resistance to war and
the impact it has had
WAR on Terrorism = WAR on
the innocent
We need to build a world in which not only war but also social,
political and economic inequality are abolished. Building that world
requires a lot more than simply opposing this war but it does include
building an anti-war movement.
International anti war
protests
Although this massive mobilisation has taken place in almost
spontaneous circumstances, its arrival should not surprise us. The US
is clearly linked with an economic strategy ("neo-liberalism") that
has brought misery and poverty to huge numbers.
Tough on War:
Tough on the causes of war
Why anarchism is the only real alternative to war. Re-printed from
the Against War and Terrorism pamphlet
Useful links
Yugoslavia:
Whose bloody war? [1993]
The war in what was Yugoslavia continues to drag on, with an ever
increasing toll of people terrorized from their homes, killed or
imprisoned. Most ordinary people are disgusted at the failure of the
EC to do anything about it. Yet is EC or UN involvement any sort of
answer or would it just make the situation worse.
Bosnia, Rwanda and UN
intervention [1994]
Socialists should not support any intervention by the UN anywhere.
What is currently happening in Bosnia and Rwanda demonstrates the
reasons why we should not call on the UN to intervene.
letter from Serbia [1994]
Stop the bombing: Stop the
Ethnic cleansing [Summer 1999]
The NATO bombing of Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo sees another force
brought into play against the people of the Balkans. The bombs do not
damage the rotten Serbian regime (nor any of the other rotten Balkan
warlords). They are targeted at the Balkan people, of whatever
ethnicity. Throughout the bombing anarchists from ex-Yugoslavia have
been posting reports to the internet.
Black Hawk
Down
It was reasonably predictable that a slew of patriotic films would
follow September 11th. I will shortly deal with the slack jawed
excuse for a film that is Black Hawk Down but first a very short trip
into history: what really happened!
Famine in Somalia [1992]
THE FAMINE in Somalia has once again focussed attention on the
problems of the less developed countries. Much of the response to the
crisis is a short term one in the form of food aid. However in order
to understand the causes of this and other famines in Africa it is
necessary to race back the roots of the problem to colonisation and
imperialism.
Somalia [1993]
"Liberal Interventionism" is the new buzzword for 1993. In every
newspaper they are baying for blood. "US intervene in Bosnia",
"America sort out Somalia" scream the headlines. People who might
have questioned American intervention in Nicaragua, Panama or the
Middle East are raging that the marines didn't go into Somalia
sooner.
Review: African Anarchism: The
history of a movement [1998]
This book is written by two members of the Awareness League, a
1000-strong anarcho-syndicalist organisation in Nigeria
Jan 2001 - An Irish
anarchist in Africa
The previous international secretary of the WSM, Chekov Feeney, spent
2000 travelling over land through Africa. His personal diary accounts
of each country and now online
Africa, anarchism &
neo-liberalism [2001]
Many African countries are chronically broke. They must regularly
borrow money to finance the public sector and to service their
existing debt. The IMF is willing to provide loans as long as the
government will carry out a neo-liberal reform package, known as a
Structural Adjustment Program (SAP).
The Euro: the root of all
evil? [2002]
It makes no sense for us to oppose the EU on the basis of some sort
of return to national sovereignty. Rather we must look for ways to
create our globalisation agenda out of the process. The protests at
the European Summits are proving one way of doing this
Vote No to Maastricht [1992]
"Fortress Europe" seeks to unite the European bosses and workers
against the peoples of the rest of the world. Integration means a
tightening of immigration controls. The Maastricht treaty in
particular covers two other things besides monetary union. It is
these that determine how we will vote. These are the questions of
European defence and the Protocol.
Sweatshops,
unions and Fortress Europe [2001]
The EU is continuing the exploitation of the people of North Africa
through creating a special trade zone of some of the North African
countries similar to the free trades zones North America has created
in Mexico.
Murdered by Fortress
Europe [2002]
The discovery of the bodies of 8 asylum seekers in a container in
Wexford in late November shocked everyone. For those concerned with
the plight of asylum seekers the deaths were not only a disaster
waiting to happen but just the latest instalment in an ever grosser
tale of human misery and exploitation
East Timor: Anarchism or
barbarism [Autumn 1999]
What was supposed to be a safe referendum carried out under the
auspices of the United Nations has led to thousands of East Timor
people being gunned down in cold blood
The SDLP, the arms
manufacturer and East Timor [Autumn 1999]
John Hume, leader of the SDLP, welcomed plans for Raytheon, a major
arms manufacturer whose clients include the Indonesian government to
set up a plant in Derry.
Haiti and US Terrorism
Haiti has long suffered from Uncle Sam's interventions. Born through
slaves' revolts against their French masters, Haiti was the first
black republic in the world -1804 - and for that has paid a high
price.
Elections in Haiti - What about
Democracy?
The 30th of September marked a new anniversary of the first coup
against Aristide in Haiti. That day, activists in 47 cities around
the world, held an international day of solidarity with Haitian
people who, once again, are suffering from the effects of a coup and
a bloody occupation under the command of the UN
Chile: 30 years of 9-11
protests
Throughout the country Chileans commemorate September 11th 1973, the
day of Pinochets bloody (US facilitated) coup.
Argentina says
"Enough"
On the 19th and 20th of December 2001, there was a major popular
revolt in Argentina. Tens of thousands of people demonstrated in the
streets. The demonstrations were sparked by the government's plan to
cut public spending as part of an emergency financial package
demanded by the IMF
The
anarchist struggle in South America [In
French] [2001]
Anarchists are once again on the march, their voices are being heard
in mass social movements after many years of silence, and their
message of self-organisation against capitalism is being listened to
by an ever growing number of workers.
1492 - 1992 Christopher Columbus
slaver and thief [1992]
THIS YEAR sees the celebrations of the 'discovery' of America in 1492
by Columbus. The celebrations have generated some debate about the
rights and wrongs of the events which followed the discovery. In
Spain itself, Seville has seen riots as marches protesting at the
celebration have been broken up by the police.
Cuba..socialist
paradise or Castro's fiefdom?
[1993]
Cuba, about 90 miles off the coast of North America, is the
largest of the Caribbean islands. The social services are in a far
better condition than they are in other Latin American countries.
Virtually every Cuban under the age of 30 can read and write. But the
cost of these benefits is high for the working class who have never
been in the saddle of power in Cuba.
Columbia
March 16 - SIPTU section supports Columbian Coca-Cola
SIPTU members in Trinity College have called for no investment in Coca-Cola by the Trinity College pension fundCoca Cola Boycotted for (complicity in) Murder
Members of the Latin America Solidarity Centre and other individuals are working to promote the boycott and to raise awareness of this issue in IrelandColombia 3 - wrong people in the dock
The trial of the Colombia 3 has produced a frenzy of speculation in the Irish media about whether they are guilty or not, and how this might effect the 'peace process'.Mexico
Irish delegation returns from Mexico [1996]
As an Irish delegation visits Mexico to better its knowledge of the struggle there and to express solidarity with the Zapatista EZLN rebelsFor Humanity and against neoliberalism [1996]
In August of 1996 3,000 people from all over the world gathered in jungle camps as guests of the EZLN to discuss building a global fight against neo-liberal capitalismThousands of rebels from all over the world meet in Spain [1997]
Interview with a WSM member who attended the 2nd encounter for Humanity and against neoliberalism in Spain this summerWhat is the EZLN
The reason we are so concerned with the politics of the EZLN is not academic. Rather it is because we understand that real and permanent liberation can only be achieved by an international anarchist revolution. There have been many revolts by guerrilla movements in third world countries, some more successful than others but none have led to a fundamental change in the way society operates.Feb 2001 2000 - What is it that is different about the Zapatistas?
In an article written for the Irish Mexico Group's magazine 'Chiapas Revealed' Andrew Flood takes a personal look at why the Zapatistas have attracted international support and why many activists see them as an example of a different way of organising
Kashmir&endash; another legacy
of British Imperialism (this time with nuclear weapons)
George W. Bush is not the only leader to resort to a war to deflect
attention away from his bankrupt domestic polcies.
Can we take on the
multinationals?
How do we deal with powerful multinational firms who often have an
international income greater than the Irish government? If we end up
having to strike they can often pack their bags and move to another
country; where they will receive another round of tax breaks, free
workforce training and preferential treatment.
And the Wall came down?
Ten years ago, a series of popular rebellions brought the so-called
'Eastern Bloc' dictatorships to their knees. Even from today's
vantage point, what was remarkable was the speed of the collapse
Feb 28th - Kissinger traumatised by Cork experience
Henry Kissinger was reported as being a bit shook by the barracking he received in Cork. There was massive opposition to his visit and two good demos.
September 3rd - Demonstration in Dublin against Chinese premier Mr Zhu Rongji [with pictures]
This week saw the official state visit of the head of the Chinese dictatorship which continues it's occupation and systematic colonization of Tibet, it's brutal state enforced one child scheme and which jails it's citizens for being part of an eccentric both totally harmless form of worship: Falun Gong
Coca Cola Boycotted for
(complicity in) Murder
Members of the Latin America Solidarity Centre and other individuals
are working to promote the boycott and to raise awareness of this
issue in Ireland
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Imperialism is not just a buzz
word [1992]
What we are seeing is the re-division of the world. The cold war has
ended the same way as the 1st and 2nd World Wars, with a furious
scramble by the victors for the prizes. Within a decade it is likely
that Japan will be threatening world peace, or at least that is what
we will be told.
Earth summit [1992]
The earth Summit took place in Rio last June. In spite of the
enormous cost ($123 million) and publicity (8,749 media people.) the
final results were two weak treaties and the agreement of some
"principles" on the environment
...and bloodsuckers in the bank
[1993]
In a leaked World Bank memo he explained how the economic logic of
dumping toxic waste in the less developed countries was impeccable.
Very profitable slaughter
[1993]
The United States remained the biggest arms supplier to the third
world in 1992, increasing its share of the market to 57% from 49% in
1991, according to the US Congressional study.
The Korean anarchist
Movement
In the 2,000 years of Korean history there arose movements fighting
for peasants rights and for national independence. Within these
movements there were tendencies that may be seen as forerunners of
modern anarchism, in the same way as we might view the Diggers in the
English revolution The Korean Anarchist Federation in China was
formed in April 1924. and published the "Korean Revolution
Manifesto".
Why 1,000,000 died [1995]
The Irish Famine was not just a result of British Government
incompetence or the greed of a few landlords. But of what happens
when you have a system that puts profits for the few above all else.
Can we take on the
multinationals? [1995]
How do we deal with powerful multinational firms who often have an
international income greater than the Irish government? If we end up
having to strike they can often pack their bags and move to another
country; where they will receive another round of tax breaks, free
workforce training and preferential treatment.
Uncle Sams Torture Trade [1996]
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
Feed the World don't Arm the World
[1996]
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.
The World Bank [1996]
The world bank is the mechanism by which the bosses force whole
country to tow, the line. How is this done?
Mary Robinson and the UN
[1996]
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.
358 own half the world!
[1997]
The UN revealed that the world's 358 wealthiest people have assets
equal to the combined income of 2.3 billion people
250 Million
children forced to work [1997]
Nearly twice as many children are working full time in
developing countries as previously thought, according to the
International Labour Organization.
What a wonderful world we
live in!! [1998]
The latest figures from the United Nations Human Development Report
about world poverty and poverty in Ireland.
Sick joke of the year
[1998]
Al Gore in Vietnam
Hurricane Mitch [Spring
1999]
The natural disaster of Hurricane Mitch was followed almost
immediately by another disaster, this time man-made. Chiquita and
Dole announced the lay-off of almost their entire workforces
Globalisation: the end of the
age of imperialism? [Autumn 1999]
IT HAS BECOME increasingly fashionable to use the term globalisation
as a description of the international economy and international
political relations
Review of Case Studies in
Hypocrisy and US Human Rights Policy
A short review of two spoken word CD's by Noam Chomsky on US foreign
policy
Review :
Terrorizing
the Neighbourhood [1992]
Terrorizing the Neighbourhood is based around a speech Chomsky made
in January of 1990, shortly after the US invasion of Panama. It seeks
to map out what US foreign policy meant in the Cold War and what its
probable direction will be in future
Review: Voices of Fire
[1995]
"Voice of Fire" is important, it contains everything that is known
about the EZLN. It has all their press interviews, letters,
communiqués, and it has responses to the Mexican Government's
propaganda
Review: African Anarchism: The
history of a movement [1998]
This book is written by two members of the Awareness League, a
1000-strong anarcho-syndicalist organisation in Nigeria
The news that isn't on TV
[Summer 1999]
A review of Hidden Agendas by John Pilger
An American Addiction:
Drugs, Guerillas, Counterinsurgency - US Intervention in
Colombia.
Almost all of the 1.7 bn in 'aid' travelling to Colombia is in the
form of chemical and biological warfare and money that is given to
the military and paramilitaries (almost one and the same) who in turn
are responsible for the majority of atrocities committed as well as
being the main proponents of narcotics-trafficking in the country.
The development of capitalism in
Japan
In 1869 feudalism was abolished and the clans surrendered their fiefs
to the government. All classes were declared equal before the law and
barriers on local movement and internal trade removed. Individuals
were allowed acquire land and all the professions and trades were
thrown open.
Greece: War and Civil War=
This talk is based around the Solidarity pamphlet 'The Greek
Tragedy', subtitled 'the failure of the left' published in 1968 as a
response to the coup in Greece the previous year. It states the left
put up little resistance to the coup and places the reason for this
in the lack of a tradition of self-activity in the working class. In
particular the response of the Spanish workers to Franco's coup of
1936 is contrasted with what happened in Greece.
