Today's Topics:
1. France, Alternative Libertaire AL - international, El
Libertario (Venezuela): "Chavo-madurism" is nothing less than a
pure dictatorship" (fr, it, pt) [machine translation]
(a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
2. Libertario Peru - New web portal in Peru By ANA (ca, pt)
[machine translation] (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
3. [Bolivia] Meeting of students in struggle and resistance, in
Cochabamba, August 18 to 20, By ANA (ca, pt) [machine
translation] (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
4. [Italy] Livorno: Against the impositions of the government,
against the courts. We fight for health! By A.N.A. (it, pt)
[machine translation] (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
5. Czech, afed.cz: The colors of Ostrava are elsewhere! -- Do
you mind that big corporations are pushing their claws into
cultural events? The Dollars of Colors event organizers also.
[machine translation] (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
6. Melbourne Anarchist Communist Group: Call for Solidarity -
The ‘Boiketlong Four' and the Criminalisation of Poverty and
Protest by ablokeimet (ca, fr, it) (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
7. [Spain] Phone House Trade Union Section standing in the
fight By ANA (ca, pt) [machine translation] (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
8. US, St. Paul, MN, Unicorn RiotLike Page: justice for
Philando Castile (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
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Message: 1
Venezuela is engaged in an unprecedented social movement. The Maduro government maintains
itself in power and uses a bloody repression, weighing the specter of a real civil war.
The illusion of a so-called "Bolivarian Revolution" to the people, as it was sold by Hugo
Chavez at the dawn of XXI th century, cracks under the yoke of a dramatic social reality.
Interview with activists of the El Libertario de Caracas group on their action and
analysis. ---- Alternative Libertaire: For four months, the political and social situation
in Venezuela is very tense with constant demonstrations against the Maduro government. Can
you come back to the reasons for this revolt ? ---- El Libertario: The government claims
that this movement is the result of a vast conspiracy of US imperialism, the bourgeoisie
and the extreme right-wing opposition. This explanation, full of old Stalinist recipes, is
simplistic and largely false.
The main causes of discontent are related to the economic situation which is catastrophic,
consequence of our exclusive dependence on the export of "our" oil. Now that this
extraction is less and that, above all, oil prices are falling freely, it is the entire
economy of the country that is suffering. The economic mirage of Chavez's Venezuela and
the misconception of this inexhaustible oil revenue, which a few years ago was still
illusory to "build socialism", is collapsing, and with them the social gains and
impoverishment Dizzy of the popular classes.
Another aspect to be highlighted in this context of popular revolt relates to the very
nature of the governments that have followed each other since 1999, with the following
characteristics: galloping corruption, real incompetence and authoritarianism which
exasperates with its share of Repression and state violence.
Today, "chavo-madurism" is nothing less than a pure dictatorship.
The institutional opposition to Chavism, an alliance of social democratic and right-wing
parties, called the Democratic Unity Table (MUD), claims to be the sole representative of
these mass demonstrations. In fact, the movement is the consequence of the economic crisis
and the popular lassitude of seeing this political-military caste clinging to power.
A relatively new element is the participation, now massively, in the manifestations of the
"people from below". What elements explain this rupture between the people and Chavism ?
There have always been critical sectors within the people, especially in the labor
movement, which entertained no confidence sirens Chavez. These minority groups there are
still 14 or 12 years, have continued to grow with the disappearance of the undeniable
charisma of Chavez, whose death coincided with the decline in revenues from oil revenues.
From then on, it ceased the illusion of the unconditional popular support of the regime,
and this all the more as its drifts (corruption, inefficiency and repression) became patent.
One of the symbols of this divorce, relates to the social policy of Chavism. For years,
the regime boasted its social policy, in connection with a supposed distribution and
redistribution of resources from oil. In particular, it put forward what were called
"missions", namely: a vast program aimed at improving the daily life of the poorest
(popular stores, neighborhood sanitation, the right to health and education ) Since the
advent of Maduro, the "missions" have been stopped, hence the increase in discontent and
involvement,
What is the role played and the weight of the libertarian movement within this movement
against Maduro ?
Anarchism has always been present in the historical tradition of the class struggle in
Venezuela, as in much of the Latin American countries. A tradition, however, weaker today,
despite the efforts we have been striving since 1995, around our group and our newspaper
El Libertario.
Although we are unquestionably a militant minority in the political landscape of the
country, we try to fit into all the social struggles.
We affirm our identity in opposition to any form of authoritarian power (that denominates
"government" or opposition parties). We defend our slogans: self-management, direct action
and autonomy of social movements.
What prospects opens this cycle of protest ? Do not you fear that the possible end of
Chavism will not be blessed bread for a return to the business of the old oligarchy under
the command of Washington ?
From our libertarian point of view, we struggle for an egalitarian society, freedom and
fraternity. Thus, our immediate prospect is the frontal and uncompromising battle against
the "chavo-madurist" caste, which, under cover of a pseudo-socialist and revolutionary
discourse, still holds the reins of the power.
At the same time, we have no illusions about what might happen as soon as Chavism is
overthrown. We are convinced, as anarchists, that our struggle will continue whatever the
government in power, whether it be under the orders of Yankee imperialism or Havana.
Interviewed and translated by Jérémie Berthuin (AL Gard)
More information on the social and political situation in Venezuela on the Blog El
Libertario: http://periodicoellibertario.blogspot.com .
Articles in French on Venezuela and the libertarian movement on:
http://www.nodo50.org/ellibertario
http://www.alternativelibertaire.org/?El-Libertario-Venezuela-Le-chavo-madurisme-n-est-rien-moins-qu-une-dictature
------------------------------
Message: 2
We announce the publication of our new web portal " Peru Libertario" , which contains
articles and essays on Peruvian anarchism. Until recently, " Libertario Peru " had been
only a page on Facebook and a little updated blog. ---- The reader will appreciate the
following pages: ---- - Chronology of Peruvian anarchism: http://bit.ly/2u1kWK9 ---- -
Bibliographic material: http://bit.ly/2w2Iqjq ---- - Photo Archive: http://bit.ly/2uFhFSH
---- The latter contains some little-known photos. In chronology the reader will also find
data hitherto unpublished. Little by little we will upload more articles and PDFs to
download. We still have a lot of stuff in our files. ---- The page is divided into
categories (actuality, north, south, center, international, culture and thought) and
everything is explained in the presentation, here: http://bit.ly/2vLS0YB
Our address: www.perulibertario.wordpress.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/libertarios.peru/
Libertarian greetings,
Renzo Forero
French Anarchist Federation
------------------------------
Message: 3
In response to the current crisis and privatization that crosses public education in
Bolivia, immersed between intolerance and the imposition of single thought, we call on
university students and secondary students to this meeting; Since we believe that the
Organization is the basis of social change and that the creation of spaces for the meeting
of autonomous students is now of vital importance in order to exercise the struggle for
our rights and to strengthen the basic student movement: ---- The characteristic
#Alnarquista and #Libertaria that we propose as methodological landmark of the meeting
is based on the respect of the people committed to the social struggles, #ApoioMutuo and
the possibility of creating and generating spaces of convergence for the different radical
socialist ideologies.
In order to strengthen a student organization from below nonpartisan, horizontal and
autonomous, with the aim of generating awareness and politicization in the basic student.
To participate with your Group or Organization or individually, you can send your proposal
of lecture, exhibition or suggestion to the mail: studentslibertarixs@iseup.net .
The proposed thematic axes are:
1) Problems, characterization and balance of the public university in Bolivia.
2) Problems, characterization and balance of public secondary education in Bolivia.
3) Look back to go forward; Organizations in Bolivia.
4) Experiences, Memory, Strategies and Autonomy of the student resistance to the
establishment through the repression and imposition of the colonial capitalist and
patriarchal hegemonic state.
FB: https://www.facebook.com/events/436478246727920
------------------------------
Message: 4
Brochure spread these days in Livorno at the banquet held in the Scales of Refuge ---- The
government's decree on vaccines is nothing but another measure - this time particularly
odious - with which you are between authority or free choice, imposing behaviors and
therapies, limiting rights, disciplining the lives of individuals, exasperating The forms
of control. ---- The excuse of this new act of authority is, once again, that of
emergency. In fact, also for this measure is raised the emergency security that works so
much in any case, when we speak of immigrants, wars or, precisely, health and diseases.
However, despite the science on which government measures are based, the number of
vaccines is reduced to ten, "anti-meningitis" vaccination is excluded when this disease
appears to represent an emergency. Chaotic measures, free of logic and responsive only to
the political interest of imposing the authoritarianism and economic interest of
pharmaceutical multinationals.
Meanwhile, the government and the political forces that take care of our health and the
vaccination of prophylaxis, cut across everything related to health, imposing austerity
policies that produce a general worsening of the health of the population. Meanwhile
contamination, unhealthiness and true lack of safety cause damage to our health, the
national health system is dismantled: services and health benefits at unacceptable times
and costs; More and more people are forced to give up taking care of themselves because
they do not have the money to do so; Services are absent or impractical, such as IVG
(abortion) limited by objectors (these are at least not contaminated!)
It is not true that cuts are a necessity imposed by public debt, crisis, resources that
are not there. It is a political choice of governments, of all governments. The money is
there: when you have to save the banks (20,000,000,000 were allocated for this), when you
have to support military expenses (80,000,000 a day)
Since public health cuts began about 20 years ago, private clinics and outpatient clinics
of the National Health Service have progressively increased, often offering shorter
benefits and sometimes even with lower costs than the public. And while it is not a fact
to underscore the inefficiency of the public sector, private clinics, much of which are
run by the Church, are exalted to increase their business advantage over public taxation.
The cut in corporate taxes and similar policies has as its only consequence the abolition
of public services, replaced by companies run by individuals, whose sole purpose is profit
and not health. In this way, health is subordinated to the profits of individuals.
Opposition to the Lorenzin Decree can be an opportunity to put health at the center of
public debate, to claim free choice of therapies, but also a health service that serves
everyone and is free and accessible.
Anarchist Federation of Livorno
Anarchist Collective Libertarian
Note: It is necessary to clarify that Italy is today one of the main routes of
immigrants, fleeing from the wars, political instabilities, etc.
Source:
https://collettivoanarchico.Noblogs.org/post/2017/07/29/contro-Le-imposizioni-del-Governo-contro-i-Tagli-lottiamo-per-la-Salute/
Translation> Liberto
------------------------------
Message: 5
The event was to point out that from the originally alternative Colors of Ostrava
festival, over the years, it has become a mega-house with great sponsors who are washing
their hands over the evil they are doing in the region. ---- On Thursday July 20, Ostrava
was colored somewhat differently. At four o'clock people met in a meadow near the Silesian
Ostrava Castle. There, the participants of the event could make pickeys or rest on the
blankets before the procession. For all, vegan entertainment was prepared in the form of
baguettes, desserts and lots of other things. Food and drink was for a voluntary
contribution, and the selected money went according to the choice of paying members Waking
up the houses that organized the event, and the movement that fights for animal rights.
Concerts of several artists took place here. They played the folk musician Tape, 69
Popgeju, Beltza Gorria and Sakkikangas. After that, Samba Banda and the DJs made a
fifteen-person procession to the center.
During the trip there were stops to read the texts about individual sponsors of Colors of
Ostrava. It stopped for example at Žofinská Street, Where the city wants to demolish a
house in which the last tenant is still living due to the expansion of the building around
the shopping center Nová Karolina. It also stopped at New Karolina itself, where two texts
were read. One for H & M and the other for Ceská sporitelna. The procession passed through
Stodolni Street on a meadow at former slaughterhouses, where other people were waiting and
where other concerts were held. For example, The Neunikneš, Leto, Laugh Hyen or Unlikely
Japan.
However, the concerts at Jatek did not end. For those interested, the afterparty was
prepared in a secret place. From the van, illuminated by the flashing Christmas chain,
Roots'n'Future, Dynasteel, Jakub Adamec played and sang Marius Konvoj. On site there was
also an improvised bar with a box for volunteer contributions. The atmosphere was very
pleasant and friendly all the time, even if it started raining at one point. People danced
until three in the morning, then gradually broke up. The event was peaceful and went
around without the presence of the police.
The creative protest has a big response after more than a week. A large part, mostly from
the Colors visitors, is negative, but it is also counting. The goal was not, as many
people think, to make an immediate coup and destroy the Colors of Ostrava festival. The
aim was to launch a debate on the issues that concern the festival. That's what Wake up
the team did. And he also managed to organize a pleasant action from which people left
satisfied.
One of the most common reasons for this is the fact that the Colors of Ostrava festival
will attract many people from all over the country, who will hardly hear about this town,
and show their friendly face. But what this statement does not contain is the fact that
Ostrava is so "colorful" only for three days a year, when the festival takes place. Colors
of Ostrava show tourist hiking in Vítkovice, long-barren bars at Stodolní, concerts of big
bands and free parking in New Karolina, not showing unbearable smog situations every
winter, not showing families evicted from homes due to development plans or fictitious
misdeeds and do not show dozens of empty And dilapidated homes across the city. It is nice
that people are coming here, but the situation in Ostrava does not change anything.
Residomo, Agrofert, or Mittal do not want people to know that, What they destroyed in the
city. They are more likely to hide behind the curtain of culture, and it takes people
strangely.
What will bring Ostrava again to life should not be the money of large corporations that
will never end up in the end where they really need it. Our cities have to revive activity
from below. Events organized directly by urban residents are important as well as
self-governing communities and alternative spaces. Do not let the culture spoil the
capitalists. The colors of Ostrava are elsewhere!
Source: https://oafed.noblogs.org/post/2017/07/31/barvy-ostravy-jsou-jinde/
http://www.afed.cz/text/6725/barvy-ostravy-jsou-jinde
------------------------------
Message: 6
Freedom for Dinah and Sipho, Justice for Papi! ---- In February 2015, four community
activists from Boiketlong in the Vaal, south of Johannesburg, were sentenced to 16 years
in prison each following a community protest. ---- This is a very severe sentence and the
conviction was based on shaky evidence. The ‘Boiketlong Four' were arrested for allegedly
attacking the local ANC ward councillor and setting fire to her shack and two cars during
a community protest. They were convicted of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily
harm, arson and malicious injury to property. ---- This is an example of a terrible
injustice perpetrated against black working class activists and could have dangerous
repercussions for future struggles of the black working class and poor in South Africa if
it is not fought. People need to be aware of the facts and take action to demand justice
and to fight the criminalisation of poverty and protest.
Evidence presented by the prosecutor in court was shaky and state witnesses either
couldn't identify the four accused or place them at the scene at the time. To convict them
the state used the 1973 apartheid law of so-called ‘common purpose', meaning they were
found guilty simply because they were leaders of the community; even though no evidence
conclusively connecting the four with the burning of the councillor's house or cars was
presented. At least one of the four, Dinah Makhetha, was not even present at the time.
The key witness willing to testify that Dinah was not present at the councillor's home at the
time it was razed, Papi Tobias, disappeared under mysterious circumstances in February
2016 and has not been seen since. He is believed to be dead.
In June 2015, the Boiketlong Four applied for bail and for Leave to Appeal both the
conviction and the sentence. Leave to Appeal the conviction was granted, but not to
appeal the severity of the sentence - meaning that if their appeal of the conviction failed
they would have to serve the full 16 year term in prison. Bail was also denied.
To apply for bail and to petition for full Leave to Appeal were High Court processes which
placed a huge financial and emotional burden on the poor working class families of the
accused. A fundraising committee was established to raise money from within the
community in order to pay for legal and related expenses.
After 9 months in prison the four activists were released on bail in October 2015.
Then, on 19 June 2017, two of the four were arrested again and thrown back in prison -
where they currently remain. We urgently need to demand they be released on bail
immediately and to have the conviction overturned.
Neoliberalism, corruption and the criminalisation of poverty and protest
The Boiketlong Four were leading community activists in the struggle for housing,
development in the township and for what the ANC government has been promising them
- and the black working class and poor across South Africa - for over 20 years. That,
being poor and struggling to change their conditions and uplift themselves and their
community were their only ‘crimes'. It is believed that they were targeted in a politically
motivated move by the state, at the behest of the local ANC, to suppress and criminalise
their activities as activists because of their role in opposing the anti-poor policies of the
neoliberal ANC government and exposing and challenging the corruption of local political
elites. They are not criminals, they are political/class struggle prisoners.
They were unfairly charged due to their role in community protests that are caused by
unfair treatment, corruption and maladministration. The black working class in South Africa
has had enough of suffering the brunt of poverty and inequality but when we take to the
streets we suffer the repressive might of the state and police brutality. The politicians
supposedly put in power to serve the community quickly forget about doing so because
they are living the life of luxury.
Our brothers and sisters who take up the fight for justice should not be the ones punished
for these actions. The 1994 tripartite regime said it would not do what the National Party
did to the black working class in South Africa, but over twenty years later we are
experiencing almost the same treatment. The enemy has proven to be the ruling party and
the private capitalists.
Like so many townships, rural areas and poor communities across South Africa, the black
working class and poor community of Boiketlong has long suffered from the broken
promises of the ANC government. Since the first multiracial elections in 1994, the ANC has
repeatedly been re-elected on the backs of empty promises of service delivery, job
creation and to develop and upgrade townships and other underdeveloped areas that have
long suffered a lack of access to decent and affordable sanitation, water, electricity and
housing as well as education and health care etc. as part of the legacy of colonialism and
apartheid capitalism.
Faced with increased discontent and protest in response to its own lack of political will and
its inability, due to the anti-working class neoliberal policies it has adopted, to even begin
to fulfill its promises and implement wide-scale development, upgrading of townships, land
reform, service delivery and job creation across the country the ANC government is
increasingly responding with the criminalisation of protest - and the poor - in order to
suppress and contain social struggles and working class resistance.
This is because of two major processes the political elite is involved in: using the state for
private accumulation and enforcing neoliberal policies designed to redirect wealth
upwards, away from the black working class and poor to the ruling class - made up of
white, and now black, private capitalists as well as politicians and state managers. This is
2in order to recover profitability and maintain profits by transferring the costs of the
economic crisis onto the working class, particularly the black section. It does this through
commercialisation and privatisation, the flexibilisation of labour, austerity budgeting and
cuts in social spending, outsourcing and aggressive cost recovery measures etc.
At local level outsourcing has led to contracts and tenders for housing, service delivery
and infrastructure development being handed out to politically connected individuals and
company owners, particularly the new BEE (Black Economic Empowerment) elite,
resulting in nepotism, corruption and patronage becoming widespread. In order to make as
much profit as possible through these contracts these BEE ‘tenderpreneurs' cut costs by
exploiting workers, using the cheapest available materials and cutting corners in terms of
safety and standards. This is why so many RDP houses are cracking and falling apart and
why service delivery in black working class townships is so terrible.
The political elite at local, provincial and national levels - both ANC and, in some areas,
the DA - uses its access to and control of state resources to accumulate private wealth
and entrench their power and control of the state and its resources. This is what
"corruption" means, and it is done at the expense of the black working class and poor -
who get nothing but shoddy housing, poor service delivery and state repression if they rise
up.
In the context of the global capitalist crisis and dwindling state resources there is an
increasing struggle between political elites to hold onto power and access to limited
resources. It is this competition for access to state power and resources for self-
enrichment that has led to the factional battles that we are currently witnessing between
the two main rival factions of the ANC - those around Jacob Zuma and those around Cyril
Ramaphosa.
However, under the smoke and mirrors, both of these factions and the two wings of the
ruling class - state managers/political elite/politicians, on the one hand, and private
capitalists/economic elite/bosses, on the other - both depend on exploiting the working
class and poor and on the model of cheap black labour, part of which involves massive
underspending on townships.
This can only be ended by consistent and independent class struggle and resistance and
that is exactly what the ruling class fears - and why the state and political elite that
controls it are increasingly resorting to the criminalisation of poverty and protest to
suppress working class resistance.
The ANC government wants to make an example of the Boitketlong Four in order to send
a strong message to the poor, the unemployed and the marginalised youth leading and
participating in struggles for land and housing, jobs and service delivery. The message is
that if you dare to organise or engage in social struggles in pursuit of your rights, to
expose
or simply speak out against the rampant corruption of the political elite, you will be dealt
with swiftly and harshly. The heavy sentences handed down to the Boiketlong Four and the
denial of bail and Leave to Appeal are all intended to intimidate and deter others from
independent working class resistance and protest.
It is therefore of utmost importance that class struggle militants do everything within our
means to campaign to have the conviction and sentence overturned - because if we don't
the state will use this case as a precedent in order to further criminalise poverty and
protest and more and more people will be thrown in prison on so-called criminal charges
and slapped with harsh sentences for protesting their poverty and fighting for their rights.
Justice for Papi Tobias
On the evening of 6 February 2016, Papi Tobias left his home in Boiketlong to go watch
soccer at a local tavern. He was last seen leaving the tavern in the presence of Sebokeng
Police Station commander Brigadier Jan Scheepers.
Papi, a father of three, was also a leading community activist in the struggle for housing
and development in the township and was often at the forefront of service delivery
protests.
He was also one of the people on the committee tasked with raising funds for the
Boiketlong Four's legal expenses. Six days before his disappearance Papi had attended a
heated community meeting, called by the local mayor, in which he criticised the fundraising
committee for misusing the money raised for the Boiketlong Four's defence. He also
reportedly said that the community was "threatened and lied to" by the committee, that it
had "in fact elected itself because it is not ours, the people's" and that "the wrong people
were arrested".
Papi had also said to Brigadier Scheepers, to the attorney then dealing with the Boiketlong
Four case, to a paralegal at the Orange Farm Human Rights Advice Centre and at public
meetings that he was willing to testify that Dinah was not in the vicinity of the councillor's
house when it was set on fire and that she and the other three were wrongfully accused.
It is alleged that one of the fundraising committee members suspected of misusing the
funds, a local ANC leader and member of the ANC-dominated Boiketlong Concern Group,
is behind Papi's disappearance; and that he told the family that Brigadier Scheepers knew
as to Papi's whereabouts shortly after his disappearance. It is suspected that, in addition
to the committee member, Brigadier Scheepers and the Mayor of Emfuleni Local
Municipality, Simon Mofokeng, are also implicated in the kidnapping.
Shortly before his disappearance Papi's dog was killed and a member of the Boiketlong
Concern Group said they had heard rumors that Papi's life was in danger prior to his
disappearance.
Papi has been missing for well over a year now and is believed to be dead. His
disappearance and suspected murder are almost certainly politically motivated and linked
to his role in struggling for service delivery, housing and development in the township and
for exposing the mayor and fundraising committee members for alleged corruption or
misusing money raised for the Boiketlong Four's legal expenses.
The police investigators handling the case appear to have made little effort to establish
Papi's fate or whereabouts and no investigation seems to be underway. To date nobody
has been arrested or charged in relation to Papi's disappearance.
Freedom for Dinah and Sipho
Since being released on bail in October 2015 one of the accused, Pulane Mahlangu, has
skipped bail and disappeared. Another, Dan Sekuti Molefe, passed away in December
2016. He had been ill prior to his arrest and it is sure that the stress of his
conviction, the
violence and suffering of 9 months in prison and the prospect of spending another 16
years there helped kill him.
On 6 June 2017, a Leave to Appeal hearing for the remaining two accused, Sipho Sydney
Manganye and Dinah Makhetha, took place at the North Gauteng High Court to appeal the
16 year sentence. The application was dismissed and they were ordered to hand
themselves over to the Sebokeng Regional Court on 19 June.
On 15 June, Dinah and Sipho met with their advocate from Legal Aid SA, who told them he
was going to apply for an extension of their bail at the Sebokeng Regional Court on 19
June. However, the Magistrate refused the extension of bail because the application
should have been brought at the North Gauteng High Court as that is where bail was
initially granted. Dinah and Sipho were re-arrested and thrown back into prison.
Dinah and Sipho's pro-bono legal representatives, Legal Aid SA, should have applied to
the High Court to extend bail pending the petition being heard at Sebokeng but this doesn't
seem to have been done and the accused have now been languishing in prison, for the
second time, for over a month.
While previously out on bail Sipho seems to have been co-opted by the local ANC elite,
who gave him employment in a development project in the township - a tactic regularly
used by local political elites to co-opt activists and draw them away from activism and
struggle in order to neutralise the threat they pose both to the dominance of the local
political elite and their opportunities for accumulating wealth through their access to state
resources and tenders. Sipho, perhaps out of desperation, reportedly began singing
praises for the mayor and saying that he cares for the people. He no longer seems to be
interested in social struggle and community activism.
That certainly doesn't mean he should be left to go to prison without support, though, but it
seems he was fooled into thinking that the ANC and local political elite would help him if he
stopped his involvement in community struggles.
Sipho's defence, unfortunately, is also not as strong as Dinah's and the advocate has not
been able to find grounds to challenge his conviction on two of the four counts against him
- assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm and arson. This means that, even if
the advocate is successful in appealing the other two counts against him he could still face
10 years in prison.
Dinah, a long-standing community activist and former member of the now defunct Anti-
Privatisation Forum (APF), however, has remained unflinching in her commitment to social
justice and working class militancy and, despite what is effectively an apartheid-era
banning order preventing her from attending community or political meetings, protests etc.,
she remained involved in community organisation and activism while out on bail.
Dinah's defence is also very strong and the advocate has found convincing grounds on
which to challenge all four of the counts she was convicted of.
It is vitally important that we do everything in our power to show immediate solidarity and
support for both Dinah and Sipho and to ensure that they are granted bail while awaiting
Leave to Appeal their conviction and that the charges against them are withdrawn and they
are declared innocent.
Dinah and Sipho are political prisoners of the capitalist state, which wants to make an
example of them. Their fate will help determine the fate of many more community activists
and poor township residents that engage in social struggles and protests to come. If their
conviction and sentences are not overturned more working class militants and people
arrested during protests could face equally harsh sentences.
Dinah and Sipho will be appearing at the Sebokeng District Court on Wednesday 26
July to have their application for extension of bail heard. A demonstration at the
court is being planned for the day and we call on our comrades, allies and all
freedom and justice loving people worldwide to do whatever they can on, before
and after Wednesday 26 July to show solidarity with Sipho and Dinah and to
demand justice both for them and Papi. We should also demand that a date be set
for their appeal of the conviction and sentence to be heard by the Supreme Court of
Appeal as soon as possible and appeal to you and your organisations to organise
solidarity actions and activities and show support for Dinah and Sipho leading up to
and on the day of their appeal. We will communicate the date for the appeal once it
has been set.
FREEDOM FOR DINAH AND SIPHO! JUSTICE FOR PAPI!
STOP THE CRIMINALISATION OF POVERTY AND PROTEST!
DEFEND OUR RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, ASSOCIATION
AND PROTEST!
What you can do:
* Picket and demonstrate outside South African Embassies abroad on Wednesday 26
July;
* Email and fax the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development demanding
Sipho and Dinah be given an extension of bail on Wednesday 26 July;
* Disseminate this call for solidarity on social media and in your organisations,
networks and movements;
* Write letters and articles about the case and publish them in alternative and, where
possible, mainstream newspapers, magazines etc.;
* Discuss the case and the call for solidarity on podcasts and community radio, at
student/worker/community meetings, at demonstrations etc.;
* Take photographs of solidarity activities and actions, or of yourself or your
organisation holding placards with messages of support or demanding Sipho and
Dinah be released on bail and that their conviction be overturned and publish them
on social media with the hashtags and handles below;
* Write letters of support to Dinah, Sipho and/or to Papi's family and email them to
zacf[at]riseup.net and orangefarmadvicecentre[at]gmail.com to have them given to
the recipients;
* Put pressure on Legal Aid SA to prioritise the case by phoning them, sending them
emails and faxes to put pressure on them constantly to ensure that they are
prioritising the case;
* Make the South African government know that this case is in the international
spotlight by phoning, emailing and faxing the Presidency and the Department of
Justice and Constitutional Development to demand the conviction be overturned, the
charges dropped and a full scale investigation into the fate of Paps Tobias be
launched.
On social media use the hashtags #Boiketlong4Solidarity #Boiketlong4
#FreedomforDinahandSipho #JusticeforPapiTobias and the Twitter handles
@PresidencyZA @GovernmentZA @EmfuleniLM @DOJCD_ZA @LegalAidSA1
@ZabalazaNews
CONTACT DETAILS
The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa
Tel: +27 12 300 5200
Fax: +27 12 323 8246
Email: president@presidency.gov.za
Office of Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa
Tel: +27 12 308 5316
E-mail: Deputypresident@presidency.gov.za
Minister of Justice and Correctional Services
Tel: +27 12 406 4669
Fax: +27 12 406 4680
E-mail: ministry@justice.gov.za
Deputy Minister for Justice and Constitutional Development
Tel: +27 12 406 4854
Fax: +27 12 406 4878
E-mail: deputyminister@justice.gov.za
Legal Aid South Africa Head Office
Tel: +27 11 877 2000
Legal Aid SA Pretoria Justice Centre
Tel: +27 12 401 9200
Fax: +27 12 324 1950
https://melbacg.wordpress.com/
------------------------------
Message: 7
After a time of inactivity and the abandonment of the Section by some affiliates, we want
to inform about the reactivation of the Trade Union Section of CNT-AIT in Phone House. Our
intention is to give new impetus to the Section and strive for it to grow and consolidate
itself as an instrument for the organization of workers in the face of the abuses of this
company. ---- At a time when we are engaged in this Trade Union Section, events have
rushed forward and we are now immersed, apart from the already known conflict over the
payment of the seniority bonus collected in the Workers' Convention, into a new conflict
over the abuse of the authority of a The company's intermediary command against a worker,
and especially in the impending sale of the company. --- At the moment regarding the
conflict with our partner, we have been sending a statement to the human resources to
demand a favorable resolution of the demand of the worker, which has not yet been answered
by the company.
Concerning the issue of the sale of the company, when everything seemed that the buyer was
moving to be the Media Markt, the events took an unexpected turnaround and the sale is
under control with the company Dominion. We are very surprised by this turn and, above
all, by the company's lack of transparency when it comes to keeping workers informed. That
is why we take a letter to the company president, demanding clarification on certain
points of the sale and that the workers are considered in the process. This mail was
vaguely answered by the president and the director of human resources without giving much
information, to say nothing.
Among our immediate goals is also to update the section website and seek information
channels for workers so that they can bypass the barriers that the company places every
day in order to prevent the rest of the non-affiliated workers from taking part in our work.
We have added to the list of claims that we have also made the company a request to hold a
meeting to discuss, although we have not yet received any response.
We want to say goodbye, remembering that both to demand our individual rights and
collective struggles the best way to confront the company is to be united in an
organization between equals, either in a horizontal union like the CNT or through workers'
assemblies . Faced with the uncertainty created by the sale of the company, we will work
to promote an Assembly of workers that unite to fight for our rights and our jobs.
Greetings!
CNT-AIT Trade Union Section at Phone House Madrid
Cntph@sovmadrid.org
Https://www.facebook.com/Secci%C3%B3n-Sindical-CNT-Phone-House-Spa%C3%B1a-617531395005229/
Provisional table of the CNT-AIT Open House Trade Union Section
Sale of company to Dominion
In the news of the sale of the company to multinational Dominion, we require the company
to inform the employees in which situation their contracts will remain and close stores.
As well, know if they will make an 'ERE' and under what conditions they intend to transfer
the workers' contracts to the buying company. Will they sell any business or just part? We
demand absolute transparency and information to the workers.
Convention
Application of the Updated Multi-Trade Convention to 2014
Salary
Payment of seniority (four-year). Specification of antiquity as an independent concept in
payroll. The concept "for the convention agreement", what does this mean? What does this
concept include? Collapse. Penalty for not selling a product outside of our training and
for which we are not prepared. Training as commercial consultants in the telephony
business, forced to sell insurance policies and electricity contracts. Labor intrusion.
Implementation of a payment with an additional dangerousness because we are obliged to
make the daily cash in person and expose ourselves to robbery in both stores and on the
way to the bank
Work conditions
Advance notice in advance of any changes in the established timetable. Overtime or
complementary. Indemnity in accordance with the established amount of € 1.45 / hour, which
are always signed and authorized by the worker. Advance notice in sufficient time in case
of any store transfer, temporary or permanent, and always justifying before the employee.
Not to the random and unjustified changes that undermine the stability of the labor of the
worker. Any claim that should be filed for theft of material in the store must be
performed on the worker's business day and not outside of it. Compensation paid for any
excess workday occurring for that reason. Do not penalize or harm the employee for a theft
at the store. In case of penalty, The communication of the same to the employee within the
legal deadlines established for this purpose. Functions: require an objective
clarification of the functions corresponding to each position. Prevent traders from
performing manager roles. Freedom for store managers to prepare timelines based on actual
store needs and not on company pressures. Require extra time for opening or closing the
store for approximately 15 minutes for each shift and that such time be paid as overtime
or included in a bank of hours that the worker can use when needed. Assignment of this
task to the professionals or to be paid an extra extra for its accomplishment. Prevent
traders from performing manager roles. Freedom for store managers to prepare timelines
based on actual store needs and not on company pressures. Require extra time for opening
or closing the store for approximately 15 minutes for each shift and that such time be
paid as overtime or included in a bank of hours that the worker can use when needed.
Assignment of this task to the professionals or to be paid an extra extra for its
accomplishment. Prevent traders from performing manager roles. Freedom for store managers
to prepare timelines based on actual store needs and not on company pressures. Require
extra time for opening or closing the store for approximately 15 minutes for each shift
and that such time be paid as overtime or included in a bank of hours that the worker can
use when needed. Assignment of this task to the professionals or to be paid an extra extra
for its accomplishment. Require extra time for opening or closing the store for
approximately 15 minutes for each shift and that such time be paid as overtime or included
in a bank of hours that the worker can use when needed. Assignment of this task to the
professionals or to be paid an extra extra for its accomplishment. Require extra time for
opening or closing the store for approximately 15 minutes for each shift and that such
time be paid as overtime or included in a bank of hours that the worker can use when
needed. Assignment of this task to the professionals or to be paid an extra extra for its
accomplishment.
Labor rights
Right to rest paid. That the 30-minute break for journeys over 6 hours is considered part
of the work day. Consideration as a public holiday for the afternoons of December 24 and
31 and of Holy Saturday as shown in the current Convention. That company meetings are
always held within the working day. Require the right to absence justified by the illness
of a daughter. Holidays: enjoy the right in 2 periods, choosing one of them always the
worker. Require that in all stores and by the company the procedure of the holiday request
be met and avoid abusive situations by store or company managers against the worker.
Eliminate the obligation to belong to WhatsApp groups within the company. All
communications can be made by corporate mail within working hours.
Transparency
Detailed report of all the concepts included in the payroll to be able to consult the
value that the workers reached each month, as well as the proposed keys, objectives and goals.
Source: http://cnt.es/noticias/secci%C3%B3n-sindical-de-phone-house-en-pie-de-lucha
Translation> Liberto
------------------------------
Message: 8
Last week an anarchist marching band and fifty plus community members demanded county
attorney's Drop the Charges. This week, felony riot charges against Louis Hunter, Philando
Castile's cousin, were dropped. He was the only one facing felonies out of more than a
hundred arrested during last summer's protests seeking justice for Philando Castile.[CC]
---- St. Paul, MN - Louis Hunter, Philando Castile's cousin, had two second-degree felony
riot charges dismissed on August 2nd, 2017, less than two months before his trial was to
begin. Hunter was alleged to have thrown rocks and construction debris at police during a
protest that shut down Interstate 94 in St. Paul on July 9, 2016. The protest was three
days after Philando Castile was killed by police officer Jeronimo Yanez.
For more info: www.unicornriot.ninja/?p=17746
Watch video in HD: https://vimeo.com/228135665
To help support our work: www.unicornriot.ninja/?page_id=211
Last week, an action organized by the all-volunteer Support Louis Hunter group (which has
done months of organizing and held fundraising events for Louis), called on the Ramsey
County Attorney's Office to drop the charges against Louis Hunter. An anarchist marching
band provided many different songs for beats and several dozen community members
participated. They turned in over 1100 signed postcards from citizens throughout Minnesota
and even internationally, to the county attorney's office, demanding the charges be
dropped against Hunter.
The Carver County Attorney's Office said that there was insufficient evidence to continue
with the their second-degree charges against Hunter. Carver County Attorney's Office had
taken over the prosecution of Louis Hunter after Ramsey County labeled their own
involvement as a conflict of interest while they were also handling the Yanez case.
During the action last week, we spoke to Jesse Mortensen, who is one of dozens of
community members facing misdemeanor charges from their involvement in last summer's
protests seeking justice for Philando Castile. He spoke about how dozens have banded
together and have refused to take plea deals until Louis Hunter's charges are dropped.
Many people still face charges from a summer full of protests following Castile's killing
that rocked St. Paul and led to an occupation of the space outside the gates of the
Minnesota Governor's Mansion in St. Paul for over three weeks. This dismissal will
potentially lead to more dropped protest-related cases; as Unicorn Riot has consistently
observed, serious charges are often leveled for a while but dropped after defendants
refuse plea deals.
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