By Jawad Moustakbal
Claims of Morocco's exceptionalism during the Arab Spring now ring hollow as protests spread in the face of elite policies that deny dignity to the majority
On Friday, 28 October 2016, a tragic fatal incident happened in Al Hoceima city in northeastern Morocco when a state official seized wares from Mohsin Fikri, a fish vendor, and had it thrown into a garbage truck. When the vendor desperately climbed into the truck to reclaim his fish, “a local police officer ordered the garbage truck driver to start the compactor and 'grind him," according to activists and witnesses. The truck horrifically ground up Fikri, killing him.
par ROUSSET Pierre
Cette contribution a été écrite pour la Sozialistische Zeitung (SOZ), mensuel publié en Allemagne. Il s’adresse donc à un lectorat étranger, qui n’est pas censé connaître grand chose de la situation française. Elle constitue aussi, de ma part, une intrusion dans le débat sur les récentes élections et la campagne menée par Jean-Luc Mélenchon au nom de la France insoumise – un débat qui touche à des questions assez fondamentales autour, en particulier, du « populisme » et que cette intrusion invite à poursuivre.
Quelques références supplémentaires ont été ajoutées à la version initiale et quelques passages ont été précisés (le 27 juin 2017), à la suite de remarques et critiques qui m’ont été faites.
La campagne présidentielle ou législative que Jean-Luc Mélenchon a menée cette année est très différente des précédentes. Il y a eu une modification profonde de ses rapports avec les partis politiques en général et avec ceux qui étaient ses alliés dans le Front de gauche en particulier. Il est important de comprendre les raisons de cette évolution, quelles en sont les implications et dans quel cadre elle s’est produite, en France.
by Jérôme Duval , Fátima Martín
The Municipal Network Against Illegitimate Debt and Fiscal Cuts is expanding to the level of the autonomous regions [the Spanish State consists of 12 autonomous communities, among which Andalusia, Catalonia, the Basque country, the Madrid community…] stated Carmen Lizárraga, a Podemos member of the Parliament of Andalusia, at the opening press conference of the second meeting of the Network, which brought together in Cadiz, on 2, 3 and 4 June 2017, over 150 participants representing 77 municipalities from all over Spain. Members of the Parliaments of the autonomous Communities of Andalusia, Navarre, the Baleares, Estremadura and Galicia had a separate meeting that resulted in the decision to meet more frequently and in a more structured way after the summer recess.
A triumphant Jeremy Corbyn delivered a rousing, call-to-arms speech at Glastonbury on Saturday. Addressing the huge crowd – one of the festival’s biggest so far – he tackled issues such as sexism, racism, homophobia and poverty.
The Labour leader spoke to a huge crowd at the Pyramid Stage
A triumphant Jeremy Corbyn delivered a rousing, call-to-arms speech at Glastonbury on Saturday. Addressing the huge crowd – one of the festival’s biggest so far – he tackled issues such as sexism, racism, homophobia and poverty.
He was introduced by Glastonbury organiser Michael Eavis. You can read the speech in full below:“Michael, don’t go! Michael, don’t go! Can you all give it up for Michael Eavis? Michael, I’ve got a gift for you here, it says, ‘Michael, the inspiration that gave space to millions through Glastonbury.’ Thank you Michael Eavis for all that you’ve done.
I want to say thank you to Michael for lending us his farm, for giving his space all those years ago for people to come here, enjoy music, enjoy good company and enjoy inspiring thought. Michael you paved the way for all of us. You brought the spirit of music, you brought the spirit of love, you brought the spirit of ideas and you brought the spirit of great messages and if you can see that far, look on the wall right over there that surrounds this wonderful festival. There’s a message on that wall for President Donald Trump. Do you know what it says? Build bridges not walls.
by ACHCAR Gilbert
A brewing conflict among the rulers of the Persian Gulf region reached a crisis stage in early June when Saudi Arabia led other countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in cutting ties with Qatar. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain have halted all land, air and sea traffic with Qatar, ended diplomatic ties and ordered to Qatari citizens to leave. With 40 percent of Qatar’s food supply coming over the border from Saudi Arabia, there are fears of shortages of food and water.
par Omar Aziki , Nawel Ben Aissa
Le Maroc vit actuellement une vague de protestation sociale très large initiée par le mouvement de contestation populaire dans le Rif au nord du Maroc. L’État a répondu par une campagne de calomnie et la répression. Il a arrêté des dizaines d’activistes de ce mouvement et poursuit d’autres. Les sit-in de solidarité dans plusieurs villes sont dispersés par les forces de police. Mais ce climat de terreur renforce plutôt la détermination des citoyens et des citoyennes à combattre, exiger la libération des détenus et la satisfaction des revendications sociales. Des comités de solidarités se constituent un peu partout au Maroc.
par ATTAC/CADTM Maroc*
A toutes les victimes du despotisme, de l’oppression, à toutes celles et ceux qui voient leur dignité bafouée et qui aspirent à un Maroc démocratique.
A tous ceux et toutes celles qui luttent contre l’injustice et pour un pays de liberté, de dignité et de justice sociale.
A tous et à toutes les personnes solidaires et sympathisantes avec le mouvement de contestation populaire dans le Rif et ses revendications justes et légitimes.
A tous ceux et toutes celles qui refusent la répression de la lutte des habitants du Rif et de leurs voix et l’arrestation de leurs activistes.
by QOSJA Griselda*
Following a wave of protests in Zharrez, Albania, Griselda Qosja spoke with activists affiliated with two of the leading leftist organizations in Albania, Organizata Politike and Thurje.
From Aristotle to Hegel, the distinction between state and market has been the basis of understanding the role of civil society. In Albania, however, since the 1990s, unfortunately the role of civic activism has been often marginalized in public opinion, and perceived as an agent linked to the Open Society Foundation (OSF) [1] or backed by foreign embassies. Probably, an atavism of the communist regime, where the fight against foreign agitators was ever-present. Furthermore, for historical and geographical reasons, be it in our foreign policy or daily discourse, Albanians (as most of our neighbors) tend to adopt a mild paranoia of resistance against forms of external social and cultural domination.
by ROUSSET Pierre
The Korean crisis has gone from chronic to acute since the election of Donald Trump to the presidency of the United States. Against a backdrop of general instability, it is being played out on three levels: the world relationship of forces between powers; the strong tensions at work throughout East Asia; the breakdown or the maintenance of the status quo between the two Koreas. To this, let us add the situation in the USA, where Trump is tempted to compensate for his failures in domestic politics by creating a climate of national mobilization against an external threat - whether it be Russian, Chinese or North Korean.
The stakes of the Korean crisis are so numerous that the uncertainties are great and there are real dangers of “uncontrolled slippages”.
Par Michael Lowy
Le mot d'ordre proposé par certains camarades, "Pas un seul vote pour Marine Le Pen", n'est pas suffisant. On peut "ne pas voter" MLP en votant blanc ou en s'abstenant, en allant à la pêche, etc. On ne vote pas pour elle, mais on ne fait rien pour l'empêcher d'être élue... Si on veut vraiment la battre, il faut mettre un bulletin avec le nom de son rival.
"Battre le Pen dans les urnes et dans la rue !" : ce fut, en 2002, le mot d'ordre de la Ligue communiste révolutionnaire, au moment d'un deuxième tour opposant Jean-Marie Le Pen à Jacques Chirac. Pourquoi ne serait-il pas valide en 2017, dans ce deuxième tour entre Marine Le Pen et Emmanuel Marcron ? Est-ce que la fille est moins dangereuse que le père ? Est-ce que Macron est plus à droite que Chirac ? Ou est-ce que la LCR de 2002 manquait de fibre révolutionnaire ?
Save the dates and sign up here ! From Friday 30th of June to Sunday 2nd of July, the 5th CADTM Europe Summer School will be held in the cultural center of La Marlagne in Wépion near Namur (Belgium).
The system will never fall, if it is not toppled over. Our Summer School will be the place to be for those across Europe who share this goal. We’ll meet, share, discuss on current struggles and strategies we need to set up in order to put an end to the cycles of debt, capitalism and its destructive mechanisms. Creditors’ diktats in the European Union, domination through debt in the Global South, vulture funds’ misbehaviour, illegitimate private debts, women’s oppression, destruction of the environment… We do have reasons to fight!
Could there be a better place than Belgium to talk about all this? It is located in the heart of fortress Europe and near places where austerity policies are decided. Never mind if the sky is not so blue. It precisely gives us another reason to storm heaven.
But we shall not forget it’s summer time, a perfect time to seize the day! The CADTM team is preparing activist and festive parties. Among these, you’ll have access to theatre, slam and DJs performances!