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CENTRAL ASIA: US war machine digs in for long stay

BY NORM DIXON Under the cloak of the "war on terrorism", the United States is rapidly moving to establish a permanent military presence across the strategic Central Asian region which, until the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, was off-limits to

LATIN AMERICA: A not-so-happy new year

BY LUISA ARA The intense mobilisations in Argentina in December have placed Latin America in the spotlight. Despite rigorous application of neo-liberal economic policies and tax adjustments demanded by the International Monetary Fund, no Latin

Immigration maintains a white majority

BY SARAH STEPHEN Australia's immigration intake is non-discriminatory and fair, according to federal immigration minister Philip Ruddock. Yet a comparative analysis of immigration figures indicates that Australia, more markedly than any other

ACEH: Total support for general strike

BY MAX LANE There has been almost total support in Aceh for the three-day general strike called by the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) for January 16-18 to protest against the decision of the Indonesian government to re-establish an Aceh Military

Socialist Alliance: battering down the barriers

BY LISA MACDONALD SYDNEY 鈥 On January 10, the NSW Socialist Alliance submitted an application for registration as a party with the State Electoral Office which, if successful, will enable the alliance's name to be printed on ballot papers in the

NT drug users in for stormy year

BY GARY MEYERHOFF DARWIN 鈥 The Northern Territory's illicit drug users are in for a stormy year. The methadone reduction program remains closed, the Public Order and Anti-Social Conduct Act remains in place and the Labor government is to

PERU: Political prisoners attacked

BY LUISA ARA In the early morning of December 21, 30 police wearing gas masks and wielding clubs stormed the section of the Santa Monica de Chorrillos high security women's prison where political prisoners Lori Berenson, Nancy Gilvonio Conde and

RUSSIA: Argentina: an example to emulate

BY BORIS KAGARLITSKY MOSCOW 鈥 There is a saying that the way you see in the New Year is the way you're going to spend it. Whether this is true or not, the events occurring in Argentina ought to serve as a serious warning for ruling groups and

Poem: Fair go

This is the land of the fair goAh, were it soWe promise refugees a fair gobut only if they go some where elseNow you can't say fairer than that BY JOHN TOMLINSON From 91自拍论坛 Weekly, January 23, 2002. Visit the 91自拍论坛 Weekly home page.

PNG Solidarity Action meetings

BY GILLIAN DAVY& NORMAN BREWER The Papua New Guinea Solidarity Action group (PNGSA), formed after at least four PNG student activists were killed by riot police on June 26, started the new year with a successful tour of PNG activist Graeme Kunjil.

PHILIPPINES: US backs Manila's war on Mindanao

BY NICK SOUDAKOFF On January 15, the first contingent of 650 US troops began arriving in Zamboanga City in western Mindanao to take part in "training exercises" with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Mindanao is now the latest front in the

Power station picketed

BY TRISHA REIMERS GEELONG 鈥 A picket line has been running since December 13 on the site a gas-fired power station is to be built just outside Geelong, in the Golden Plains shire. The picket was set up following the decision of the Victorian