S. Korean workers win strikes
The South Korean government and major employers conceded major union demands on June 20 to avert strikes and other labor actions from spreading throughout industry. A day earlier, Seoul had declared walkouts by subway and telecommunications workers illegal and threatened to use police force to break them. But at the last minute, the government announced agreement to most demands by 48,000 unionists at Korea Telecom, the state telephone company, and the subway system in Seoul and Pusan, the country's two largest cities. These include reinstating 21 workers fired for supporting the Korea Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) and an 8 percent wage increase. "We are taking a more mature attitude to labor relations," said a government spokesperson. The outlawed KCTU scored gains in the conflict. The union federation organized the industrial actions to push for higher wages and reforms in the labor laws, including its own recognition.

Workers at Mando Machinery, South Korea's largest car parts company, ended a three-day walkout after winning an 11 percent pay hike. That strike crippled the country's auto industry. Hyundai Motors Corp., for example, the number one carmaker, was forced to suspend production. At the second largest car manufacturer, Kia Motors Corp., workers also ended a three-day strike June 21 after winning most of their demands.

Political unrest in Indonesia
Government forces within the opposition Indonesia Democratic Party (PDI), moved against party leader Megawati Sudarnoputri. Police attacked a rally of some 5,000 people defending Megawati June 20, killing one, injuring nearly 130 people and arresting 73 protesters. The demonstration was protesting the military- backed faction's attempt to oust her as party leader.

The faction had launched a five-day congress - supported and encouraged by the government - with the aim of ousting Megawati and replacing her with a military sanctioned candidate. Some 2,800 soldiers were assigned to guard the PDI congress, which did dismiss Megawati and installed a new leadership to the liking of the ruling party and army. Indonesia has been governed dictatorially by president Suharto for 30 years, but his organization, the Golkar Party, slipped from 73 percent to 68 percent in the last round of voting.

House passes sanctions on Iran
On June 19 the House of Representatives unanimously passed economic sanctions against companies in third countries that do business in Iran and Libya. President William Clinton has endorsed the bill, which is expected to be easily approved in the Senate. If the bill is singed into to law, it will impose at least two penalties on foreign companies investing more than $40 million in Iranian oil and gas development. Sanctions include barring U.S. banks from lending more than $10 million to those corporations, and excluding the companies from exporting any goods or services to the U.S. In March, the Clinton administration signed into law even more severe penalties on companies investing in Cuba. Several European, Arab and other governments have denounced the U.S. trade offensive against their interests registered by these new measures.

Karadzic for president
Serbian Democratic Party leaders in Pale, Bosnia, announced Radovan Karadzic as their presidential nominee June 20. According to the Bosnian Serb news agency SRNA, Karadzic was the only nominee put forward. The U.S.-designed Dayton accords -

which call for the partition of Bosnia and are being implemented by 20,000 U.S. troops stationed in the Yugoslav republic - prohibit Karadzic from running for office.

The chauvinist Bosnian Serb leader and his military chief, General Ratko Mladic, are charged with war crimes by an international tribunal set up in Hague by the imperialist powers intervening in Yugoslavia. Colum Murphy, a spokesman for Carl Bildt - the former Swedish prime minister who is overseeing the civilian implementation of the Dayton accords - said referring to Karadzic, "The man has to go. Sooner better than later."

Arab League meets in Cairo
Government representatives from 21 of the 22 Arab countries in the Middle East and North Africa concluded a two-day summit in Cairo June 23. The gathering included PLO chairman Yasir Arafat. Iraq was the only Arab head of state absent from the meeting.

The final communiqué called on the new Israeli regime to permit Palestinians to establish an independent state in the occupied territories with East Jerusalem as its capital and said renewed tension could not be avoided if Tel Aviv does not follow this course. "One-sided demands that harm security are not reconcilable with peace talks," responded Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Liberian refugee ship returns
After 22 days at sea, trying to find another country to port, the cargo ship Zolotista was forced to return to Liberia. The ship, which departed from Liberia on May 26 with 450 refugees fleeing the civil-war-torn country, was turned away by every state on the western shore of Africa. It was the second ship with refugees from Liberia to be refused by numerous countries. The first was the Bulk Challenge, with 1,800 people aboard, which was finally able to port in Ghana in May after being stranded at sea for two weeks.

Haitian paramilitary chief set free by Washington
Emmanuel Constant, former head of a hated paramilitary group in Haiti, was set free June 14 by U.S. authorities. He had been held for more than a year in a detention center in Maryland, pending a deportation order to Haiti issued by a U.S. immigration judge last year. Constant fled Haiti after being charged of supervising murders, rapes, and torture of opponents of U.S.-backed military regimes. He has also admitted to being a paid informant of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Immigration officials said Constant still faces deportation and is under supervision.

Ruling saps `three strikes' law
California's Supreme Court ruled June 20 that judges have the right to disregard a defendant's previous record in deciding sentences. This decision strikes a blow against the "Three- strikes law" passed in 1994 that makes sentences after repeated convictions harsher, and says that those sentenced for the same crime for the third time may receive from 25 years to life.

Over 16,000 people have been sentenced to stiffer prison sentences under this law, and may now appeal those sentences. Critics say the law is used disproportionately against African Americans and other oppressed nationalities.

Cop charged in N.Y. beating
A grand jury has indicted a New York City police detective on a charge of first-degree assault. The jury indicted officer Constantine Chronis with assault rather than attempted first- degree murder. Chronis, who pleaded not guilty, is charged with holding witnesses at bay with a gun while his companion beat Shane L. Daniels, who is Black, outside a Westhampton Beach nightclub last month.

- MEGAN ARNEY  
 
 
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