Asia

The Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign (PTUDC) and Youth for International Socialism (YFIS) have launched a campaign against the ongoing suppression, terrorism, brutality and corruption of the Chairman of steel mills in Karachi and his administration. To this end the PTUDC, in collaboration with YFIS, organised demonstrations throughout Pakistan.

Dramatic events in Tblisi indicate a sharp turn in the situation in the Caucasus. Opposition supporters stormed Georgia's Parliament on Saturday and took it over, forcing President Eduard Shevardnadze to flee as thousands of protesters outside demanded his resignation. Opposition leader Mikhail Saakashvili led hundreds of his supporters as they forced their way into the chamber, overturning desks and chairs, fighting with members of parliament.

The Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign and Youth For International Socialism (Pakistan) celebrated the 86th anniversary of the Bolshevik revolution on November 7, 2003 throughout the country. For this purpose they arranged many public meetings in Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Multan, Quetta and Hyderabad simultaneously.

Today one fifth of the human race inhabits the South Asian subcontinent. This region has one of the oldest civilisations and rich cultural traditions. They contributed immensely in the development of human knowledge in various fields of science and the arts. This region is one of the most fertile and rich places in the world, yet hunger, starvation and poverty is on the rise. Around 1.5 billion people will continue to suffer in this quagmire. Is this the destiny of this and future generations to come? This book very affectively answers this question.

Felix Zorba looks at the peace talks taking place bewteen some of the armed left parties in the Philippines and compares the behaviour of these parties with that of the Bolsheviks at Brest Litovsk in 1918. He explains the dangers involved in trying to achieve partial, or even regional, deals when the only lasting solution to the problems of the working masses is the socialist revolution.

We have received this article from a Chinese sympathizer who gives a very good insight to the real situation facing millions of workers in China. In spite of all the gloss about the economic development of China in the past few years thanks to the introductions of “market economy” methods, there is another side to the situation. The closure of state-run industries is creating millions of unemployed and to these further millions are added from the rural areas drifting to the cities in desperate search of work.

It is not easy to be a saint, and least of all in the sinful world of the 21st century - or so one might think. But this opinion is definitely not shared by Pope John Paul II. In fact, he has already manufactured no fewer than 474 of them during his stint at the Vatican. So there can be no complaints about his level of productivity. He has become an enthusiastic market leader in the saint-manufacturing business.

Introductory note: We have received this article from a Chinese sympathizer who gives a very good insight to the real situation facing millions of workers in China. In spite of all the gloss about the economic development of China in the past few years thanks to the introductions of "market economy" methods, there is another side to the situation. The closure of state-run industries is creating millions of unemployed and to these further millions are added from the rural areas drifting to the cities in desperate search of work. Although we may not agree with some of the conclusions such as the explanation that the emergence of socially vulnerable groups in the urban areas is a

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Last month we witnessed mass protests against the self-appointed Nepalese government and the collapse of the "Peace Talks" that had started back in January of this year.On August 28 security forces in Nepal were on alert after Maoist rebels announced they were withdrawing from the ceasefire and after a senior army officer had been shot dead by the guerrillas. This was the first casualty in the new wave of clashes.

One of the most spectacular episodes of the intense revolt against the British Raj was the uprising of the sailors of the British Indian Navy in 1946. On February 18 of that year the sailors and shipmen of the British Indian Navy battleship HMS "Talwaar" went on strike. They invited  the masses of Bombay to join in the struggle they had started. As a result, anti- British imperialist sentiments started to spread like wildfire throughout the region.

As the scorching summer heat begins to recede, the lengthening shadows and falling leaves announce the onset of another autumn. After blistering Asian summers the autumn monsoons tend to bring some relief. Yet this year there is no respite for the oppressed and the deprived of the region.

The Indian film industry is the second largest in the world producing about 300 movies a year. Not more than 5 or six movies hit the box office. One wonders why people keep on investing in an apparently money losing business.

As the annual date of the State of the Nation Address of President Macapagal Arroyo (GMA) was approaching, a group of 296 soldiers staged on July 27 a siege of the Oakwood Premier luxury hotel at the Ayala Center in Makati, a financial district of Metro Manila. Based on their own statements, as reported on Tv and radio, they were asking the entire administration to resign.

In less than two weeks Hong Kong has been shaken to the foundations by three mass rallies demanding democratic change. Over 500,000 protested against the passage of "anti-subversion" laws; over 50,000 demonstrated outside of the Legislative Council halls July 9 to appeal for democratic reforms, and on Sunday, over 20,000 participated in a rally for universal suffrage.