The Cancer Of Profit.

        When the advocates of capitalism spout about its success and the wealth it has created, we should remind them of some undeniable facts. The world is certainly awash with wealth, but the vast majority of the world's population don't experience any of the benefits of that wealth. The figures that follow are from 2008, and we all know that since then, we have seen a massive "austerity" plan implemented on the poorest section of all societies across the planet.
 

        While the number of billionaires grow, at least 80% of the world's population live on less than $10 a day and over three billion live on less than $2.50 a day. As the wealth in the world increases, more than 80% of the world's population lives in countries where the income differentials are widening. That abundance of wealth that sloshes around the world, stays in a very few hands. A mere 5% of the world's income is spread across 40% of the world's population. While at the other end, 75% of the world's income is claimed by the richest 20% of the population. Of course disparity in wealth distribution is not just about “things”, it is about life and death, deprivation and destroyed potential.
 

        Out of sight of the flashing neon lights and fast food outlets, UNICEF estimates that 22,000 children die each day due to poverty. This happens in small villages and towns in remote areas, out of sight of the that babbling brook of bullshit, the mainstream media, so their murder by the system goes unrecorded.
         The catalogue of misery, deprivation and early death across this planet of plenty, is capitalism's legacy, a handful enjoy unimaginable wealth and power, some live comfortably, and the vast majority suffer unacceptable deprivation. It is estimated that approximately 30% of all children in developing countries, are underweight. Under weight and uneducated is a recipe for a life stunted and a potential stolen. 2005 figures also reveal that in the developing world, 72 million children of primary school age were not at school, the biggest half of them, 57%, were girls. As we moved into the 21st century, another of capitalism's crimes was that almost one billion people were unable to read or sign their name. 

       Even if we were insane enough to stay with the capitalist system, we could quite easily remedy all of these failings. If we spent a mere 1% of what the world spends each year on weapons, it would be enough to put every child into school. It won't happen, weapons are much more profitable to shareholders than educating children.

      This is the world of capitalism, a bizarre world of unimaginable wealth, an abundance of food, and millions dying of poverty and deprivation. A world of scientific magic in the midst of millions deprived of education, a world of mass production of luxuries and gadgets, and millions dying for the want of necessities. Sanity demands that we dismantle this insane, unjust and greed driven system, in favour of one based on human needs, mutual aid and co-operation, freed from the cancer of profit.

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

We Don't Want Their Charity, We Can Look After Ourselves.

       Is that sleeping beast, the great British public stirring? I hope so, for it has been on the receiving end of a savage attack in this long running class war. July 10th. in the UK we expect to see 2 million take strike action. Several unions will be involved including the GMB and NUT, on strike will be Transport of London staff, teachers, driving examiners, council and school staff and others. Each may have its specific issue as to why they are striking, but this should not be about a series of single issue. Joining those ranks of strikers should be all those unemployed existing on deprivation level allowances or had their benefits sanctioned, those thousands workfare victims, forced to work for no salary, all those disabled affected by the draconian work assessment, and the attempt to get rid of the Independent Living Fund, all those on zero hours contracts, all those suffering benefit cuts. In fact is there any ordinary person who should not be out on the streets on Thursday July 10th? Over the last four years we have seen our living standards ravaged, the social structure of our society trashed, our NHS being sold off, along with any other public asset that can turn a profit for the financial Mafia friends of the Cameron Oxbridge millionaire cabal.

      We should not be organising to attempt to make our corporate master a little more compassionate, begging them to make our lives a wee bit more tolerable. No, we should be organising to dismantle this whole corporate dominated greed driven ponzi scheme. There is no such thing as compassionate capitalism, it's a greed driven, winner take all, and to hell with the rest of you con-scheme. We don't want their charity, we can look after ourselves.

 This from The people's Assembly:

      This Thursday, on 10 July, up to 2 million people will be out on strike in a co-ordinated strike action across the trade unions. There will be huge demonstrations and protests up and down the country. These actions will be the next step in the summer of resistance, working towards a monster TUC demonstration on 18 October in London.

      Lets do all we can to make sure the strikers are supported in our communities, and help to make the demonstrations huge - join the rallies and demonstrations, join your local picket lines and bring along tea and biscuits - anything you can do to support those on strike will make a huge difference.

     Here are a few videos in support of the strikes. Please share these far and wide! Why not make your own video of why you are supporting the strikes? Tweet using hashtag #J10

Click here to see Owen Jones' video
Click here to see the NUT's video
Click here to see Caroline Lucas MP's video
Click here to see Francesca Martinez's video
Click here to see Kate Smurthwaite's video
In solidarity, 
Sam Fairbairn and Jacqui Howard
The People's Assembly Against Austerity
http://www.thepeoplesassembly.org.uk/

 

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

Mutiny And Strikes Stopped WW1.

          When we discuss that imperialist lead blood letting for power, known as WW1, we should make it quite clear that it wasn't started by ordinary people, but by a bunch of power hungry generals, politicians and royalty. However we should also make it quite clear that it didn't end in any type of victory, but an armistice. Neither side of the pompous blundering generals, politicians nor aristocratic idiots, could claim outright victory. That unnecessary bloody conflict which cost millions of lives of ordinary people, was stopped by those ordinary people. It was striking workers and mutinying soldiers, plus the running out of bodies to sacrifice, that brought the imperial greed fest to an end. By 1918, strikes and unrest were widespread across the whole of Europe, German forces were refusing to fight, earlier there had been similar mutinies among French and Russian troops and mutinies were also occurring among the British troops, including the Australian Imperial Force, Under these circumstances, it was obvious, even to the bunch of blundering idiots in charge at that time, that the blood letting power grab couldn't continue.

The arseholes who glory in war.

        Despite this, the Oxbridge millionaire cabal, running our country on behalf of the financial Mafia, have set aside £55 million to mark the blood letting as a wonderful victory and a defence of democracy. 1914 Europe had no democracy to defend, and when the troops came home, it wasn't to a democratic land fit for heroes, it was to unemployment, poverty and deprivation. Here we are, 100 years on in 2014, and we, the ordinary people, are still struggling to create that “democracy” here in the UK and across Europe. 

 The democracy they were defending.

         It was the ordinary people who suffered during that imperialist land grab, it was the ordinary people that brought it to a close, it is the ordinary people that should make sure that the present day power mongers don't turn it in to some sort of extravaganza to display their power and wealth, a circus of flag waving imperial symbolism. The ordinary people across Europe and further afield, suffered horribly during that unnecessary monumental blood letting, we can't let the perpetrators, by smoke and mirrors, take centre stage and wallow in undeserved glory.

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

Tightening Of State Repression.

       An update on the Greek prison struggle, though the fascist regime in Greece was forced by the actions of the prisoners and their supporters, to amend the draconian legislation regarding its new high security prison, it still means that a prisoner once sentenced could see their sentenced increased, if they don't behave the way the authorities dictate. The prisoner can have two years added and then another two and so on. This is "democratic Europe" in the 21st. century.

This from Contra Info: 

         After some modifications to the draft bill on maximum security prisons, the recess section of the Greek Parliament is now prepared to vote on this new law on Monday, July 7th. Perhaps it will take another summer session for the final voting, but their plan is to pass the bill no matter what… A protest gathering, supported also by anarchists, against the passage of the ‘prison reform bill’ will take place on Monday 7/7, at 18:00 in Syntagma Square, Athens.
        Prisoners throughout Greece have quit their mass hunger strike since the 1st of July, promising other forms of protest on the inside (we don’t have related info as of yet).  
       One can never know what the fucking minister of Justice, Charalambos Athanasiou, will submit at the last minute, but according to updates so far, main modifications are supposed to be as follows:

      - initial incarceration period in Type C prison units for recalcitrant inmates: (from 4 years to) 2 years;
      - initial incarceration period in Type C prison units for inmates convicted to over 12 years for terrorism (article 187A of the Greek penal code), and for inmates convicted to over 15 years for criminal organization (article 187 of the Greek penal code): (from 10 years to) 4 years.
        It is said that prisoners remanded on terrorism charges (under article 187A), who are still awaiting trial (not yet convicted), will also be sent to Type C prison units.
       It is still a fact that inmates locked up in Type C prison units won’t have the right to furlough (days of leave from the prison).
       Even if “dangerous” inmates serve 4 full years in a Type C prison, the incarceration period can be extended by prison prosecutors to 2 more years (when these prisoners are not “well-behaved”, or suddenly have further “incriminating indications” presented against them, etc.); when the additional 2 years are over, their incarceration in a Type C prison can be prolonged again to another 2-year period, and so forth…

This is all we can transmit for the time being.

Solidarity with prisoners of the State/Capital. Destroy all prisons!

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

UK Corporate Health Service.

      When the millionaire Cameron cabal said that the NHS is safe in their hands, he really meant in their hands, the hands of his millionaire friends in the corporate greed machine. Make no mistake, that's where it is going. The NHS is being sliced and diced into bite size pieces for the corporate profit mongers to gobble up and milk, to feed their addiction, loads of profit.

      Several of the big corporate greed machines are bidding for a £689 million contract to provide cancer care in Staffordshire. A second contract worth £535 million and again in Staffordshire, will cover end of life care. This will be where cancer patients have had all the expensive treatment from the NHS that they can have, and have no cure. The profit mongers will build large units where the only treatment will be opiates. They will be run like the private homes for the care of the elderly, staffed by under paid, under trained, over worked staff, while the coffers of the profit mongers overflow with tax payers money. There will be the usual leak of ill treatment of patients, and the usual bland "lessons have been learnt" crap. That's a massive slice of the NHS in one area, £1.22 billion hived off to the friends of the Cameron Club. We also have the nice Mister Branson with his lucrative £500 million contract to provide various health services in Surrey. If they get away with it in Surrey and Staffordshire, there is no doubt they will roll it out across the rest of the country.

      If there is anyone who doesn't see this as privatisation of the NHS, they must be brain dead. When and where was any party given a mandate to sell off the NHS to their rich friends?

      Unless we wake up now, to the fact that we have a group of bankers friends in charge of the NHS, who are hell bent on hiving it off to those friends, we will eventually wake up to no NHS. It will take a concerted effort by all unions and interested groups to wrestle back that which is ours from the slime grasp of the financial Mafia. What they are doing cannot be deemed legal, likewise, what we do to retain our NHS does not need to be legal. Every means at our disposal must be utilised before we are completely in the hands of the corporate beast, for all our health care.

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

Self-Organisation, Occupations, Mutual Aid And Squats,

        Not a new video, but that sort of anger and organisation doesn't disappear in a couple off months, while the circumstances that create the anger continue. Spain has still got more than 25% unemployment and around 60% young unemployment. The puppets of the financial Mafia, the Spanish government, are still dishing out the austerity plan, and selling off all the public assets. It's called restructuring, which translates as plundering the public purse by the money barons.  Of course our babbling brook of bullshit, the mainstream media doesn't mention such things, it might give the impression that the system isn't working!! But it is working just fine, it's doing what it was designed to do, make the rich richer and the poor poorer.

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

The Largest Hunger Strike Ever.

         The latest update on the mass hunger strike by prisoners in Greece. The largest hunger strike in history, though it received no coverage by that babbling brook of bullshit, the mainstream media, has forced the government to amend its proposals regarding the legislation for the new high security prison. Though the prisoners and their supporters do not have much faith in the amendments which will be released today, and are preparing for further action.

Solidarity Has No Borders.

This from Act For Freedom Now:

ANNOUNCEMENT OF PRISONERS:

     Suspension of pan-hellenic hunger strike.Today, Tuesday July 1st, we suspend the mass pan-hellenic hunger strike we had begun against the legislation for the high security prisons. We suspend the hunger strike, but we do not end our mobilization. On the contrary, we are regaining our powers and warn the ministry that we will not accept the functioning of the greek Guantanamo in Domokos or anywhere. We remain suspicious towards the improvement propositions of the ministry that will be deposited on Thursday and we are ready if necessary to fight with EVERY MEAN to cancel the legislation-abnormity for the high security prisons.

       We know that nothing would have been improved if we did not do the hunger strike. But the ministry should know that against the organized silence imposed by the Mass Media by hiding the BIGGEST HUNGER STRIKE ever (4500 prisoners on hunger strike), from now on, we change the means of struggle and if necessary we will continue with stronger forms of resistance. An intelligent being will understand.. initiative commission of prison struggle

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

Land Of The Free!!!!!

       It's common currency for the West, with America leading the charge, to shout about injustice, corruption and breach of human rights in other countries, but never batting an eyelid about the stinking cruel, corrupt and unjust prison system right in their own patch. The Greek prison system recently reached exploding point, however, America, "Land of the Free", leads the world in the percentage of its population that it locks up in its cruel privatised prison system.

 

      Prisons are for intimidation, control, repression, and now for profit, absolutely nothing to do with protecting society, justice or reform. This recently published letter from a prisoner in America highlights the vicious brutality and injustice of the system, with prisoners being held for long terms just waiting for their case to be heard.

This from Inside Out Alliance:

Dear IOA,
       Hope this letter finds you in best of health and spirits, as for myself I’m making it. I’ve been trying to get my writ of habeas corpus or motion to dismiss…accepted, but all have been denied without actually telling a fact. Each one of my writs or motions have been held under my constitutional right, each effort has been denied, which violates my constitutional rights and also shows due prejudice of the justice system in Durham county. Why, because I’m black.
       Each day I hear a person getting locked up for 2 grams of crack or heroin with habitual felon status and 28 grams or 14 grams with a gun and they got caught with the drugs or both and their bond is 50 for 14 grams of heroin no gun or 28 grams with a gun…I was never arrested around near any cocaine. By an informant. No arrest, still only accused. No lab work ever came back yet and now the charge is a year old. My bond was a million now for the last 5 months $500,000 bond. 7th Amendment is no excessive bond, cruel and unusual punishment. That’s why I asked your help and the Southern Coalition. My roommate and I watched your protest on the 13th of June, as we watched so did the same officers that accuse the lie on me and him. They watched all of you in the green Chevrolet, the Black F-150s, the white Ford work van, the black run down Crown Victoria with the windows down as you guys have now got their attention. I pray you watch your back for the next 4 to 8 months for just as my charge of a lie got me sitting here, I hope you better luck, if not your bond will be 1 million. Best of luck to all of you and I hope you keep your eyes open for all they do is create lies of past charges, and set up, and if you have a record of any kind they’re going to create a charge. So I ask again watch your backs you won’t know anything till they run up on you with a search warrant or indictment for some charge you done 15 years ago, but you will see them again. Three of them are S.J. Newton, D.T. Rose, and T. Thomas. There’s 18 in all, but you will learn they are a bunch of set-up artists and crooks. For I still don’t have no receipt for the last $150 they took from me when I was arrested on this charge by S.J. Newton. He still hasn’t turned it in or he paid his light bill with my money. There was no drug taken from me when they arrested me so my money since I am Black is theirs. Their word is all that counts and I’m going to sit in their jail because they can do it as long as they want for I have no help to get anyone else to come see me. My lawyer is —-, number is —-, call him tell him I said come see me. Just so you will know you call I will tell him about who I saw on June 13th…He works with District Attorney Nicholas Yates on my charge. I called both of them on the issue and haven’t seen the courtroom since they have been judge shopping ever since. This is why I asked to get the Southern Coalition to come see me. I sent the notarized affidavit of my action to you for record as well as the same copy I’m going to send the Southern Coalition. I ask again please help.
Y. B.

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

Genocide By Any Other Name Is Still Genocide.

      As usual, the Israeli state has responded to the tragic deaths of three young Jews, with massive disproportionate violence. Apart from the 40 air strikes in Gaza since the bodies were found, prior to the finding of the bodies, the Israeli government unleashed a massive violent collective punishment on the people of Gaza. This included a violent rampage of Israeli troops and police, breaking into and ransacking over 1,500 homes, schools and businesses, setting off explosions in Palestinian homes, the arrest of more than 500 residents, most held without charge or trial, over 100 were injured and at least 6 have died one aged 14 from a bullet to the chest and one 78 year old woman from a heart attack, while her house was being ransacked. On top of this, the 680,000 residents of greater Hebron have been surrounded by angry settlers and troops.

      Where else on this earth would this sort of treatment of brutal collective punishment be accepted on the death of three youths. Across the planet, sadly, young people are murdered, but in no city in any country would this type of brutal collective punishment be tolerated without international outrage. Only the Israeli state can get away with this genocide, while the international community looks the other way. Only the Palestinian people can be treated in this manner and be left to suffer in the silence of the international community.

     While the Israel state spouts peace, it stokes the fires of hate, with its brutal genocide of the Palestinian people.

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

How Is It To Be Done?

      Have we understood? Have we seen through their tricks? Have we had enough? Will we still try to seek rationalism in an irrational system, seek fairness in a system of power and greed? Will we still accept the illusion of society, when the plunder of the many by the few is the norm? We have had centuries of capitalism, and we have had centuries of war, struggle, poverty and deprivation, never has the system delivered what its advocates proclaim. They say one of the signs of insanity is to keep doing the same thing but expecting a different result. This being the case, we are living with mass insanity, will we continue, or will we stand up, look each other in the eye, admit our stupidity, and vow to start again?

Two extracts from, How Is It To Be Done, from the Tarnac files:

     All the dangerous individuals, all the indocile bodies, all the autonomous human hosts. Then came twenty years of foolishness, vulgarity, isolation and desolation.

How is it to be done ?

     Standing up again. Lifting the head up. By choice or by necessity. Whatever, really, now. Looking at each other in the eyes and saying “let’s start again”. Let everybody know it, as soon as possible.

We are starting again.

      Done with passive resistance, inner exile, conflict by subtraction, survival. We are starting again. In twenty years, we have had enough time to see. We have understood. Demokracy for all, “anti-errorist” struggle, state massacres, capitalist restructuring and the Great Work of the social purge,

by selection,

by casualisation,

by normalisation,

by “modernisation”.

      We have seen, we have understood. The means and the ends. The future that is reserved for us. The one we are denied. The state of exception. The laws that put the police, the administration, the judicial authorities above the laws. The judiciarisation, the psychiatrisation, the medicalisation of everything that escapes the frame. Of everything that flees. .

     We have seen, we have understood. The means and the ends-------

       For instance there are tricks we will no longer fall for. The trick of “society”. To be transformed. To be destroyed. To be bettered. The trick of the social bond. That some would break while others can pretend to “restore” it. We will no longer fall for these tricks.

      One would have to be a militant element of the planetary-petty-bourgeoisie, a citizen really, not to see that society no longer exists. That it has imploded. That it is only an argument for the terror of

those who claim to re/present it. That which has absented.

Read the full article HERE:

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

Seventh Day Of Mass Hunger Strike.

      The Hunger strike by prisoners right across Greece continues, with more prisoners being taken to hospital. How many must go to hospital, and how many will die, before this fascist regime in Greece accepts that it can't continue to treat human beings in this manner. There have been actions across Europe and else, where in support of the prisoners and their call for justice. Where else in a civilised country would you have thousands of prisoners on hunger strike? what intolerable conditions would drive thousands to go on hunger strike? Certainly no civilised democratic country would allow such a situation to develop. This mass hunger strike is testimony to the debased, corrupt and inhuman system that exists in Greece and across Europe to a slightly lesser degree. 

This from 325:

       Dozens of inmates went to the hospital. More specifically, 2 inmates from Corfu prison, some inmates from Amfisa prison and the rest of them from Koridallos prison. They were going to the hospital and most of them were sent back after being given an injection of dextrose!

     Comrades Panagiotis Argirou, Michalis Nikolopoulos and Nikos Romanos remains in the hospital after having a fight for not taking intravenous fluids and dextrose!

      Here is a video from the prisoners of A wing of Koridallos deciding to refuse the night lockdown for one hour with force!

 May health and chaos be within you!

It is also evidence of overcrowding in the prison!!!!

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

I Hold A Banner Drenched In Blood---

          They are the enemies of Freedom, the Trinity of Slavery, the Triple Pronged Fork that is destroying our planet, Religion, Politicians, and Nationalism, time to sing a song of truth:

 

Motörhead - Orgasmatron

“I am the one, Orgasmatron, the outstretched grasping hand
My image is of agony, my servants rape the land
Obsequious and arrogant, clandestine and vain
Two thousand years of misery, of torture in my name
Hypocrisy made paramount, paranoia the law
My name is called religion, sadistic, sacred whore.


I twist the truth, I rule the world, my crown is called deceit
I am the emperor of lies, you grovel at my feet
I rob you and I slaughter you, your downfall is my gain
And still you play the sycophant and revel in your pain
And all my promises are lies, all my love is hate
I am the politician, and I decide your fate


I march before a martyred world, an army for the fight
I speak of great heroic days, of victory and might
I hold a banner drenched in blood, I urge you to be brave
I lead you to your destiny, I lead you to your grave
Your bones will build my palaces, your eyes will stud my crown
For I am Mars, the god of war, and I will cut you down.”

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

When In Edinburgh - ACE!!

       INFO from the Autonomous Centre of Edinburgh, 17 West Montgomery Place EH7 5HA ACE is open Sats 12-4pm, Tues 12-3pm, Thursday 6 - 8pm Advice and solidarity on benefits, debt, housing etc on Tuesdays. Leith Wholefoods, the Info Shop, Scottish Radical Library and free broadband available all 3 days. Open monthly meetings first Wednesday of the month, 7.30pm at ACE 0131 557 6242 ace@autonomous.org.uk www.autonomous.org.uk

ACE MONTHLY MEETING.

Wednesday 2nd July, 7.30pm at ACE, 17 West Montgomery Place EH7 5HA. All welcome to the monthly meeting of Edinburgh's self-managed resource centre. www.autonomous.org.uk (meetings first Wednesday every month) ACE and ACE projects like the Scottish Radical Library, ACE Info Shop and Leith Wholefoods always need new volunteers, this is a good chance to come along and find out what is going on....

ECAP ANTI WORKFARE ACTION - GET INVOLVED!

Thursday 3rd July. Meet 10.45am for 11am start at Festival Square, off Lothian Road EH3 9SR (where big TV screen is) The new Community Work Placements scheme is in difficulty, many charities are boycotting it and the government is having problems getting it up and running. By taking action now we aim to make it unworkable. The more people involved in our actions the more effective they are - all welcome.

SKUNK - BENEFIT GIG FOR ECAP AND ACE.

https://www.facebook.com/events/397734067031895/ Saturday 5th July. At the Banshee Labyrinth, 29-35 Niddry St, a night of ska, reggae and punk. 7pm till very late. £6 (or £4 with food donation for Food Solidarity project) Now with extended film club night in the Banshee cinema. People needed to help on the door! FREEDOM OF THE CITY - BENEFIT GIG FOR FOOD SOLIDARITY Sunday 6th July, Banshee Labyrinth, 29-35 Niddry St, Doors open 6pm till late Oi Polloi and many more. £7 (£5 with food donation). Benefit for Food Solidarity and Underheugh Ark. https://www.facebook.com/events/251804728358752/

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

Solidarity Has No Borders.

      The hunger strike by thousands of prisoners in prisons all over Greece, is still ongoing. One of the prisoners on hunger strike has been removed to hospital and more are joining this nation wide protest. The full horror of the Greek prison system, the overcrowding, degrading inhuman conditions of the prisons and prison hospitals should be shouted from the roof tops. Prison governors are refusing to take any more prisoners, due to gross over-crowding. These are middle ages conditions, in so called developed democratic 21st. century Europe. 

 A photograph smuggled out of a Greek prison hospital.

Governors are refusing to take any more prisoners due to overcrowding.

This update on the hunger strike from Contra Info:

      As of June 27th (5th day of mass hunger strike), more inmates have joined the hunger strike in the prison of Corfu, taking courage from the warm supportive intervention outside the extermination centre.
On the same day, the network of imprisoned fighters called for solidarity with the ongoing struggle in Greek prisons, referring also to the case of hunger striker Nicolò Angelino, hostage of the Italian State.
       In the night of the 27th, the inmates in all wings of Koridallos men’s prison refused to be locked up in the cells for one hour (until 10pm), protesting because there is a huge lack of doctors, nurses and other medical personnel, like stretcher bearers, in the prison and its ‘hospital’ in particular, but also due to the fact that the screws have declared a ‘work stoppage’, thus actually blocking visits between the prisoners and their lawyers or relatives.
Since the 28th of June (6th day of mass hunger strike), protest mobilizations have intensified ahead of voting, on Thursday, July 3rd, 2014, of the new draft law on maximum security prisons.
       In the morning of the 28th, five incarcerated comrades currently on hunger strike were moved to the infirmary in Koridallos men’s prison, namely Yannis Michailidis, Argyris Ntalios and Nikos Romanos, as well as CCF members Michalis Nikolopoulos and Panagiotis Argirou. Meanwhile, over 30 hunger strikers have been transferred there already. As expected, the prison director Maria Stefi (whose car was blown up by anarchists in 2013) has demonstrated a total disregard for their health condition sending most of them quickly back to the wings.
       On June 29th (7th day of mass hunger strike), more hunger strikers reportedly had a fainting episode at Koridallos.
ACTIVE SOLIDARITY WITH THE PRISONERS’ STRUGGLE

Solidarity has no borders.

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

A Wheelchair Is No Excuse For Protesting.

       Recently I drew attention to the harsh treatment by the Transport Police against a group of elderly protesters trying to defend their free bus pass. Well it seems that the police in London, not to be outdone by the Transport Police in Sheffield, have launched a grossly over the top attack on a group of disabled people protesting at Westminster Abbey. The group, part of the Disabled People Against Cuts, (DPAC) were attempting to highlight  the injustice that will be caused by the government's intention to close the Independent Living Fund, (ILF).

Photo from Ian Bone's blog.   

      Elderly, pensioner, walking with the aid of a stick, disabled and in a wheelchair, you are all fair game for our boys in blue, well its more high vis-jackets and riot gear now. Of course they are called the Police Force, emphasis on the word FORCE.

This from The Void:

       At one point, so desperate were the police to arrest someone for nothing,  they charged into the crowd causing people to fall onto several wheelchair users.  Such was the sudden aggression of police it is a miracle no-one was severely injured although unconfirmed reports suggest one disabled person did have to receive treatment after this assault.  Police also attempted to remove access ramps for wheelchairs users to prevent them from being able to peacefully protest in the Abbey grounds.  Equipment was damaged and police prevented the planned disabled toilet and other infra-structures to be created which would have led to a safe event.  Throughout the afternoon all those inside the grounds remained at risk of violent arrest, and in fact, as you read this, that might be happening.

Read the full article HERE:

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

Just Text Death.

        It says a lot about our present economic system when you look around the world and find that countries with the richest natural resources have some of the poorest people on our earth. The Middle East is a wash with oil, which transfers into unbelievable wealth, but you can't say its people are all very rich. This pattern is repeated across the planet, another example is the Democratic Republic of Congo. A vast country, the second largest in Africa, the 11th largest in the world. As well as having coal, oil and diamonds, it is also the richest source of cobalt in the world. That rather dull looking material produces unimaginable wealth for the corporate world, but little for the people of the that country. In fact it is the opposite, this immeasurable wealth is probably the main cause of the suffering of the people.
       Because of the economic system that prevails today, blood will be shed to get control of that wealth. Sadly that blood is shed for the end product of things like mobile phones and laptops, and these are products that the vast majority of the people who produce that raw material will never see. 

        If it was just dreadful working conditions and poor pay, that would be bad enough, but we are talking about millions dying and millions more suffering unimaginable violence. Since its bitter struggle to be free from the Western colonialists, the country has been blighted by violence, and at the root of that, is the fact that it is very rich in raw materials like cobalt. 

      The Second Congo War, sometimes referred to as the “African World War”, as it involved around twenty armed groups and nine other African countries started in 1998. No doubt all eager to get a slice of that wealth. Although “Peace Accords” were signed in 2003, fighting continued in the east of the country through 2007. In this region the prevalence of all manner of sexual violence and rape is often described as the worst in the world. Since 1998 this conflict has claimed the lives of more than 5.4 million people. Though this was a brutal conflict, more than 90% were not killed in combat, they died from such things as malaria, pneumonia, diarrhoea, and malnutrition, brought about by the usual companions of war, displaced populations ending up living in unsanitary, over crowed conditions, combined with lack of shelter, clean water, food and medical care. What is even more tragic, 47% of those deaths were children under five.
     The country also has great agricultural potential but this is being stifled by this conflict, which still continues. It is the struggle to control those vast mineral resources that drives this most brutal and savage conflict. Is your mobile phone worth it?

      

       Surely we have the imagination and the ability to device a economic system whereby natural resources do not equate with misery, poverty, deprivation and bloodshed for the many, and unbelievable opulence for the few.