EU-U.S. `banana war' escalates
European Union (EU) officials demanded an emergency
meeting with the World Trade Organization (WTO) in an attempt
to stall hefty banana-export trade sanctions soon to be
imposed by Washington.
The U.S. government is seeking WTO authorization to slap sanctions on $520 million worth of European exports starting February 1 as retaliation for alleged EU noncompliance with a WTO ruling favoring Wall Street's interests in the banana trade over those of European capitalists.
Thai banks post major losses
Six Thai banks posted major losses for the fiscal year of
1998. Bangkok Bank, the country's largest, suffered a 49.5
billion baht (US$1 = 36.40 baht) loss. The third largest
bank, Thai Farmers Bank lost 38.8 billion baht. "Problem
loans" accounted for nearly half issued by the banking sector
as of the end of last October.
Two thirds of Thailand's finance companies have folded over the past year, unable to service their loans. As a result the government has organized "fire sale" auctions, in which billions of dollars of Thai assets are being sold off to imperialist banking institutions at as low as 26 percent of face value. An auction in February will involve 134 pieces of real estate.
Tel Aviv occupational forces pushed back in Lebanon
Hezbollah guerrillas reported January 22 they pushed back
an overnight attempt by Israeli soldiers to take over the
Lebanese village Shaqra, five miles north of the "security
zone" Tel Aviv occupies. Guerrillas detonated a roadside bomb
as Israeli soldiers tried to sneak into the village. Then
they opened fire as troop reinforcements came on the scene,
forcing soldiers to retreat.
Hezbollah is an armed organization fighting with others to expel 4,000 Israeli troops and Zionist-backed South Lebanon Army militia from the southern part of Lebanon they forcibly inhabit. Israeli officials justify such incursions by claiming the villages they trample and shoot up are "guerrilla strongholds." Many of these "strongholds" are actually towns, semi-abandoned due to the heavy shellings from Israeli troops that destroy their crops and houses. Tel Aviv launched 107 air raids against Lebanon in 1998 and countless shellings.
Aluminum bosses in Mozambique fire 400 strikers
The Mozambican Aluminum plant - a joint venture partially
run by South African bosses - fired 400 construction workers
January 19 who were demanding wage parity with their South
African counterparts.
The strike began January 18. Strikers held 30 bosses hostage during a protest action for seven hours, until riot cops dispersed the crowd. Some 3,000 other workers in the plant reportedly did not participate in the labor action. According the African Eye News Service, this is the second time in less than six months workers downed their tools demanding wage parity. The company offered the sacked workers one week's pay, but they demanded compensation equal to six months wages.
Miners strike in Zambia
Demanding three months of unpaid wages, more than 600
miners on the 6:00 a.m. shift at Chibuluma mines in
Kalulushi, Zambia, refused to go underground. The members of
the Mineworkers of Zambia demanded the company restart
contract negotiations broken off as the government tried to
sell off the mine. Workers also wanted the removal of mine
boss Michael MacNamus and human resources boss Jason Ndhlovu.
Earlier that day workers locked MacNamus in his office.
The company offered to pay workers half their wage arrears, which miners rejected. Later that day the second shift joined the ranks of the strike. Strikers effectively shut down the mine, and say they will not go back to work until their demands are met, according to an article in the Zambia Times.
Peru president losing popularity
Peru's Bonapartist president Alberto Fujimori is sagging
in the popularity polls as the economic crisis there produces
ever-worsening conditions. According to one poll taken
December 11-12 in 32 districts of the Lima province, 60
percent of Peruvians disapprove of Fujimori and 65 percent
disapprove of the government as a whole. Another survey asked
what has been Fujimori's major achievement. The second most
common answer was "none at all." That survey also pointed out
that unemployment (now at 50 percent), poverty, and low wages
were cited as among the country's top problems.
Fujimori was elected in 1990 based on a popular platform that included ending government corruption, waging a war against terrorism, and stabilizing Peru's economy. Once in office he cracked down on democratic rights and carried out a tough austerity program aimed at slashing the social wage, selling off state-owned industries, and attacking other gains of toilers there to attract more foreign investors. These measures have begun to take their toll on workers in Peru, many of whom initially gave Fujimori the benefit of the doubt.
Fujimori, who is considering running for a third presidential term, replaced Peru's prime minister and made a Cabinet shuffle in early January in an effort to give his regime a facelift. In a recent move to regain his facade as a man of the people, Fujimori traveled to Corpacancha, Peru, in the Andean mountains to mill around with indigenous peoples there. One of the peasants who attended the public relations stunt was asked by the New York Times if he would to vote for Fujimori in upcoming elections. Claudencia Martín Gustavo said probably not because, "We don't have enough food and our incomes are not enough for our families."
Ecuador students reject austerity
Protests by high school and university students across
Ecuador have been growing in response to government austerity
measures, which include steep raises in electricity and
cooking gas prices. The cops used tear gas against protesters
and made more than 100 arrests. Students burned tires and
hurled stones at police in response. Leaders of the protests
have called a national strike for January 27.
Paris convicts 107 in mass trial
A French court reconvened in the prison gymnasium in
Fleury-Merogis, France, January 22 to convict 107 of 138
Algerians arrested in 1994-95 "antiterrorist" sweeps. Twenty-
four of the defendants were detained in prison for nearly
five years before going on trial on charges such as sending
arms, money, and medical supplies to; providing unspecified
"documents" to; or harboring "Muslim militants" from Algeria.
Many defendants refused to attend proceedings, which began in the gymnasium Sept. 1, 1998, and the majority of the defense lawyers boycotted the pseudo trials. Three men, Mohamed Chalabi, Mourad Tacine, and Mohamed Kerrouche, were convicted as ring leaders and sentenced to eight-year prison terms. Twenty-one others were given up to six years in prison. The remaining people were given sentences of a month to two years. Thirty-one defendants were acquitted of all charges. "Four years of hell for an acquittal," commented one of the defendants.
BRIAN TAYLOR