Archive | June, 2009

  • Military Coup in Honduras Threatens Democracy across Central America

    June 29, 2009 The military coup d’état in Honduras is a dangerous step backward for Honduras and threatens democracy across Central America. Democracies thrive only when democratic institutions operate peacefully and under the rule of law.  The military coup against Honduran President Manuel Zelaya brings back terrible memories of the 1980s when the Honduran military […]

  • Was the Iranian Election Stolen?  Does It Matter?

    Since the Iranian presidential election of June 12, allegations that the announced winner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s victory was stolen have played an important role in the demonstrations, political conflict, and media reporting on events there.  Some say that it does not matter whether the elections were stolen or not, since the government has responded to peaceful […]

  • Ghoba Mosque, Tehran, 28 June 2009

    Ya Hossein, Mir-Hossein Karrubi Present in Protest in front of Ghoba Mosque Long Live Karrubi, Long Live Mousavi Cf. Farid Marjai, “Green, But Not Velvet” (CounterPunch, 26-28 June 2009).

  • Honduras: Dawn of General Strike

      There was a curfew until 6 AM.  The city is militarized.  Hondurans remain in the streets, demanding the return of their president, Manuel Zelaya, keeping a vigil all night. This Monday morning began in Honduras with people demanding the return of democracy, ready for struggle.  There was a curfew until 6 AM.  The city […]

  • US Govt. Confirms It Knew Coup Was Coming

    A New York Times article has just confirmed that the US Government has been “working for several days” with the coup planners in Honduras to halt the illegal overthrow of President Zelaya.  While this may indicate nobility on behalf of the Obama Administration, had they merely told the coupsters that the US Government would CUT […]

  • Inflation Fears and Commodity Prices

    The global recession is still very much with us, despite the recent attempts by media and some policy makers especially in the North to dismiss it as almost over, and to find some indications of the “green shoots” of recovery in almost each item of economic and financial news.  But even as the downturn continues […]

  • A Suicidal Error

    In my reflection written last Thursday night, June 25, I said: “We do not know what will happen tonight or tomorrow in Honduras, but the brave conduct of Zelaya will go down in history.” Two paragraphs before I noted: “What is happening there will be a test for the OAS and for the current United […]

  • A Suicidal Mistake

    Three days ago, in the evening of Thursday 25th, I wrote in my Reflections: “We do not know what will happen tonight or tomorrow in Honduras, but the courageous behavior adopted by Zelaya will go down in history.”

  • Venezuelan Government Condemns Coup d’État in Honduras

    The Ministry of Popular Power for Foreign Affairs issued a communiqué condemning the coup d’état that the Honduran oligarchy seeks to impose, against the constitutional government of President Manuel Zelaya Rosales and against the people of Honduras. Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Ministry of Popular Power for Foreign Affairs Communiqué The government of the Bolivarian Republic […]

  • Iran’s Business Elite, Too, Is a “Dissident”

    With mass rallies for government accountability dominating the news from Iran since June 12, Western audiences are missing the underlying controversy that polarizes the country’s electorate.  We hear much about the boastful social conservatism of president Ahmadinejad, whose contested re-election on June 12 fueled days of bloody protests led by his moderate challengers.  But the […]

  • Iran: Recommended Action

    RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Persian, Arabic, English, French or your own language: calling on the authorities to ensure that security forces exercise restraint in the policing of any further demonstrations in connection with the election result, and that firearms are not used except as a last resort […]

  • Iran: An Alternative Reading

    Iran does not just have an authoritarian system of government, it has a totalitarian one.  It is powerful, highly centralised, with sophisticated administrative and control systems, and it applies an ideology that claims to have answers for everything and that seeks to permeate all aspects of life.  Instead of a political party and youth organisations, […]

  • A gesture that will not be forgotten

    I am halting for a moment the work on a historic episode that I have been writing for the last two weeks to express my solidarity with the constitutionally-elected president of Honduras, José Manuel Zelaya.

  • Gaon Chhodab Nahin /We Will Not Leave Our Village

    Inspired by a song by Bhaghwan Maaji, leader of the adivasi struggle against bauxite mining in Kashipur. Lyrics: Meghnath.  Singer: Madhu Mansuri Hasmukh.  Chorus: Jayanth and Amruta.

  • North Korea: “Sanity” at the Brink

    Nations that chart a self-defining course, seeking to use their land, labor, natural resources, and markets as they see fit, free from the smothering embrace of the US corporate global order, frequently become a target of defamation.  Their leaders often have their moral sanity called into question by US officials and US media, as has […]

  • Eight Glorious Years of the Great Nepalese People’s War

    This documentary film was brought online at YouTube on 22 June 2009.

  • Baharestan Square, Tehran, 24 June 2009

    Protesters clashed with the Iranian riot police in the streets around Baharestan Square, Tehran, today.

  • Iran: This Is Not a Revolution

    Political power is never good or bad, never really just or unjust; political power is arbitrary, discriminatory, and most of the time violent.  In Iran, the ongoing demonstrations sparked by the election results in favor of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad indicate that such power can never really be monopolized by the state.  Iran’s civil society is fighting; […]

  • Ask the Political Lady: Caring Advice for the Societally Disemboweled

    Dear Political Lady, Although I grew up in a community of leftwing activists who respected people of all colors and creeds, I never felt like I “fit in.” Maybe it was my wacky behavior and big red nose.  Or my garish whiteface, purple eyebrows, and bright orange hair.  Maybe it was because I shunned normal […]

  • Friday Address, 19 June 2009

    “Our young generation particularly showed that it still possesses the same political enthusiasm, awareness, and commitment that we saw in the first generation of the revolution.  However, with one difference: the hot furnace of the revolution created emotions in the hearts of people, later during the war in a different manner, but today the same […]