Monday, August 31, 2009

Free the Cuban Five - Rally Sat 12 Sept


Rally for the Cuban Five - stop the injustice!

[The Socialist Alliance would like to encourage you to attend this rally on Sat 12 Sept organised by the Australia-Cuba Friendship Society.]

The "Cuban Five" have, between them, been sentenced to four live terms and 75 years in United States prisons. They were falsely charged with espionage conspiracy.

Their real "crime"? They were peacefully defending Cuba from US-backed terrorist groups based in Miami.

Rally
Sat 12 Sept
12 noon, Stirling Gardens

Info: acfsperth@gmail.com or phone 0421 113 341

Monday, August 17, 2009

Successful state conference in WA – membership trebles


Socialist Alliance had a very successful WA state conference on August 15. Between 60 and 70 people participated over the day, peaking at over 50 people for the evening public meeting and cultural night.

The conference was marked by its broad participation including panel presentations by representatives of the Socialist Party and the Communist Party. Greetings were presented by representatives of Friends of Palestine WA, the Australia-Cuba Friendship Society and the campaign against genetically engineered crops in WA.

Seven people joined or renewed their membership in the Alliance at the conference. These new members mean that we have passed the threshold that represents a trebling of our WA membership in 2009. We are aiming to reach 100 financial members by the end of the year – the highest membership the Alliance has ever had in WA.


The highlight of the conference was the public meeting with retired coal miner Graham Brown and Sudanese musical group WAZA. The conference also discussed the election campaign of Socialist Alliance member Sam Wainwright for the Fremantle Council and the Alliance’s work in the campaign for a safe climate.

The conference also established an education committee for the Alliance, decided to formally affiliated to the Friends of Palestine and changed the name of the Resistance Centre to the Perth Activist Centre. Participants also wrote solidarity messages to each of the “Cuban five” – anti-terrorists imprisoned in US jails.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Terrorism, racism & refugees - Perth SA meeting 20-8-09


Terrorism, racism & refugees
20 Aug 2009 - 6:30pm

Perth Socialist Alliance meeting.

Venue: Perth Activist Centre,
15/5 Aberdeen St, East Perth
(just next to McIver station).

The latest sensationalised “terror raid” – just like it was under Howard – has been greeted by the government and corporate media as an opportunity to crack down on civil liberties, crank up racism and justify Rudd’s Australian state-terror in Afghanistan, Pakistan & Iraq. This meeting will investigate terrorism, racism & refugees under Rudd.

Ph Alex 9218 9608, 0413 976 638.


Saturday, August 15, 2009

Hear a coal miner explain why we should phase out coal! Sat 15 Aug


People Power can save the planet
Public meeting & cultural night

Featuring:
Graham Brown
(Recently retired Hunter Valley coal miner)
"How and why we should phase out coal and create green jobs"

Also speaking:
Sam Wainwright (Socialist Alliance)
"People power can save the planet"

Performers include:
WAZA musical group
Don Blundell-Wignall
Viv Dayman
and more to be announced

6.30pm Sat 15 August
Resistance Centre, 15/5 Aberdeen St, East Perth (just next to McIver Station)

$20 ($10 concession) - includes meal & entertainment


Ph Alex 9218 9608 or 0413 976 638

This public meeting and culural night is held in conjunction with the Socialist Alliance state conference 1-6pm, Sat 15 August 2009. Click here for more details.

Socialist Alliance WA state conference 15 August 2009


The Socialist Alliance will be holding its WA state conference on Saturday 15 August 2009 from 1-6pm at the Perth Resistance Centre (15/5 Aberdeen St, East Perth - next to McIver station).

Provisional agenda:
1pm Conference Welcome
1:30pm Plenary Panel: Building the Socialist Movement
Speakers: Alex Bainbridge, Justine Kamprad, Kamala Emanuel, representative from the Socialist Party, representative from the Communist Party of Australia (to be confirmed)
3:15pm BREAK
3:30pm Resolutions & greetings
5pm Election of WA state committee
6pm BREAK
6.30pm "People Power can save the planet"
Public meeting & cultural night with Graham Brown, Sam Wainwright, WAZA music group & more.

Download registration form here:
http://perthsocialistalliance.wikispaces.com/file/view/SA-StateConfRegoForm15-8-09.pdf

[Deadline for resolutions (from Socialist Alliance members or branches) is 9am Monday 10 August.]


For further information, contact Alex Bainbridge 0413 976 638. Alternatively write to PO Box 204, Northbridge 6865 or email fremantle@socialist-alliance.org

Friday, August 14, 2009

Billionaires for Coal come to Perth




The action above was organised by the Safe Climate Coalition on Tuesday 11 August. For a full report check out the Safe Climate website:
http://safeclimate.org.au/billionaires4coal

Also, check out the report about the action in the Perth Voice:
http://safeclimate.org.au/node/140

There is also a new YouTube produced linking the Billionaires actions from Wollongong and Perth:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxsLIa4wVM0

Finally, check out the Socialist Alliance statement on the defeat of the CPRS (Rudd's emissions trading scheme that should be known as "Carry on Polluting Regardless Scheme"):
http://www.socialist-alliance.org/page.php?page=862

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Tamil solidarity: Our crusade for peace and justice


Our Crusade for Peace and Justice
An initial policy statement by the Australian Tamil Congress

[This statement is being published here to promote awareness of the Australian Tamil Congress.]

Introduction

The need of the hour is for our people, in each and every country that we have taken refuge in throughout the world, to unite and form country organisations that can constructively engage in diplomatic political dialogue with the governments of those countries to bring peace, dignity and freedom to our people wherever they may reside.

Crisis

The immediate situation that needs to be resolved as a matter of prime urgency is the desperate plight of our brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka. Here in Australia we must engage as Tamils with one voice, through political dialogue and awareness campaigns, with the Australian government, political leaders of every persuasion, trade unions, eminent Australians and the general public to bring to their attention the dire humanitarian, human rights and self sufficiency issues that the Tamils in Sri Lanka are now facing.

Upholding Human rights

This process of engagement must be a democratic one and as such we must unite and speak as one. The current plight of our people warrants that we must expeditiously explore all political avenues we can engage in to bring immediate relief and protection under international law and independent supervision, and guarantee the upholding of human rights for the Tamil people in Sri Lanka.

Global awareness of our conflict

The current problem we are facing with the International Community is twofold. Through lack of understanding of the problems the Tamils have faced in Sri Lanka since the country’s independence from Britain in 1948 many simply ignore the issue as unimportant. Others, who are perhaps better informed, nevertheless feel that their individual geopolitical interests will be better served by the current Sri Lankan Government, and as such raise no objection to what is happening.

Genocide

To begin with we must find out why we did not have one single friendly nation standing up for us, even with all the protests by our Diaspora throughout the world, during our time of desperate need and despair which unfortunately is still continuing without any signs of respite. It is our solemn duty to make sure that the International Community is made aware and then accepts that genocide of the Tamil People has taken place in Sri Lanka, and that ethnic cleansing of the areas traditionally occupied by the Tamil people was carefully orchestrated soon after independence and is being carried out at an even greater pace today than ever before. Families are being forcefully separated based on age and gender, our people are being abused and many go missing routinely. This is undoubtedly ethnic cleansing and must be stopped through the engagement of the International Community and the United Nations.

Importance of Tamil unity


We have no choice but to establish a single organisation that represents the political aspirations of the Tamils in Sri Lanka and speak for them as they have been made voiceless through harassment and imprisonment. This must be our top priority. The age old Tamil proverb “Adampan Kodium Thirandal Miduku” seems a very logical statement however somehow we are failing to grasp this concept which has been successfully embraced by those faced with similar situations in the past. We must start afresh with no baggage from the past.

Remember our heroes

Please do not forget our men and women who fought bravely to the end and effectively left us, the Tamil Diaspora, with a clean slate to work out, in our own way, how to carry on the struggle to fulfill the aspirations of the Tamil people left in Sri Lanka. We must not desert them in their desperate hour of need and we cannot forget those heroes who laid down their lives so that we may lead a better life.

Australian Tamil Congress

Ideally we would like to unite all the existing Australian Tamil organisations, however, starting a fresh organisation with clearly stated political goals under one umbrella will help us move forward without any unwanted and unfair labels attached to it and this would also encourage all Tamil people to participate in a free and democratic manner. We appeal to you all to rid yourselves of all petty aspirations and think exclusively about our people in need who are voiceless and are looking to us for help. We must establish an inclusive single entity built from grassroots support through which everyone can make a statement. The time is right for such an organisation to be created and we are appealing for your support.

Need to prove

To this end we have formed the Australian Tamil Congress. We can and will make this Congress function effectively and thereby show the world that Tamils throughout Australia can unite and that they can be unselfish for the sake of their kith and kin languishing in concentration camps wondering “will our people ever come to our aid”.

Lead by example

If we in Australia can demonstrate that through unity we can move a mountain, then it is to be hoped that other Tamils living throughout the world will follow this example and collectively we can form a world body that will take care of the needs of all Tamils in the world.

Our Aim


The Australian Tamil Congress encourages the positive participation of Tamils in Australian society, highlights issues of importance to Tamils, upholds core Australian values and engages other communities, governments and organisations in addressing the socio-cultural and political concerns of Tamils.

Collective action

Through ‘Collective Global Tamil’ action it is hoped that an international Human Rights and Political Organisation can be established in the not too distant future to represent the voice of the Tamil people. This organization will attempt to educate people on the Tamils’ right to survival and self-determination, and to promote the safety, welfare, and economic development of Tamils worldwide. It will also ensure that the genocide that has taken place in Sri Lanka is acknowledged by the International Community, that perpetrators are brought to justice and that future generations are never allowed to forget.

Make a Stand

On behalf of the Australian Tamil Congress, we invite you to join us and work with us to bring lasting justice and peace to our people. This work must start today; it cannot wait until tomorrow. Please join with us and make a difference and we shall rise from the ashes like the phoenix.

By Dr. R.T.Rajeswaran

"You died when you refuse to stand up for right... You died when you refuse to stand up for
truth... You died when you refuse to stand up for justice..." - Martin Luther King Jr.

Friday, August 7, 2009

Graham Brown at Murdoch Uni 13-8-09


Can a zero emissions economy save jobs?
Why a coal miner says: "Phase out coal and create green jobs"

Guest speaker:
Graham Brown
Retired Hunter Valley coal miner, unionist & climate campaigner

Thurs 13 Aug
12.30pm, Lonergan Building 3.010

Ph Laura 0417 927 778, Alex 0413 976 638, Alex 0447 272 606

Organised by Resistance & Murdoch Uni Sustainability Team

For Green Jobs and a Just Transition


[This is the August column in the Darlington Review prepared by Hills Socialist Alliance.]

Ordinary people can feel left out of the climate change debate. False choices are spoken of, such as stopping climate change will cost people their jobs or that the economy can’t afford it.

The Australian economy can easily afford retooling for sustainability and more jobs will be created in green industries than currently exist in polluting ones. In fact, to avoid cataclysmic climate change, this transition needs to begin immediately. However, some profitable industries, particularly coal mining, will have to transition out of existence.

Debates at national and local levels are needed to provide the necessary change with fairness for people whose jobs and communities will be affected.

Graham Brown is a retired coalminer who has become a climate change activist. He’s also a member of the Upper Hunter Greens in NSW, and is helping build a union and community alliance aimed at creating a just transition to a carbon-neutral economy. He has a font of ideas on how to ensure workers in the mines and coal-fired power stations move into alternative employment.

He will be speaking at the Perth Activist Centre, 15/5 Aberdeen St East Perth (McIver station) on Saturday August 15 at 6:30 pm. For information and tickets contact Alex on 9218 9608 or 0413 976 638.

On October 3 the East/Hills branch of Socialist Alliance will be running a forum on uranium mining, nuclear power and renewable energies. It will feature veteran anti-nuclear campaigner, Jo Vallentine, and nuclear physicist turned renewable energies expert, Dr Paul Wilkes, and will focus on how a people’s movement can win. It will be held at 3:30 pm in St Cuthbert’s Good Shepherd Meeting Room. For more information call Annolies or Barry on 9299 6453.

Monday, August 3, 2009

Defeating the coup in Honduras - 6 Aug Perth SA meeting


Honduras:
The battle for democracy

6.30pm, Thurs 6 August
Resistance Centre, 15 / 5 Aberdeen St, East Perth (near McIver station)

Speaker:
Andy Parnell (Socialist Alliance)

The coup in Honduras is an attempt by imperialist governments, led by the United States, to try to roll back and ultimately defeat the popular revolt sweeping through Latin America. The ultimate goal is to defeat the unfolding Venezuelan revolution. However US imperialism doesn’t always get what it wants and the coup is still being fiercely resisted by the popular masses in Honduras. This Socialist Alliance meeting will discuss the coup in Honduras and the role of international solidarity in defeating the coup.