Austria: rightists win local vote
Ultrarightist Joerg Haider's Freedom Party won a gubernatorial race in Carinthia, Austria, in early March. The results were: Freedom Party, 42 percent; Social Democrats, 33 percent; and conservative Austrian People's Party, 21 percent. Haider's party did not win a majority, so he will need votes from his opponents to become governor of the province. The ultrarightist is known for his anti-immigrant stance. Haider was earlier elected governor in 1990, but was voted out of office 15 months later for praising "decent employment policies" of the fascist regime of Adolph Hitler. Conservatives and social democrats say they oppose his election as governor. Social Democratic leader Michael Ausserwinkler resigned from his post, and outgoing conservative governor Christof Zernatto said he would not run again. Social Democratic officials hint they will stand aside for Haider to avoid the weeks of wrangling.

Paris arrests Basques
Herri Batasuna, the leading party fighting for independence for Basque people, called for protests on March 12 to oppose the French cops' seizure of six Basques they allege are ETA members. ETA stands for Basque Homeland and Freedom - an armed organization fighting for independence in the territory straddling Spain and France. The arrest of Javier Arizeuren-Ruiz, allegedly the head of the ETA, and five others took place as Spanish prime minister José María Aznar was in Paris. The French and Spanish governments have teamed up against Basque nationalists. "I want to emphasize that it [the arrest] represents the success of Franco-Spanish cooperation in the fight against terrorism," boasted Aznar. At least 60 Basques in French jails are accused of "terrorist" activity. The ETA has observed a cease-fire since last September.

New Zionist party in Israel
Former Israeli defense minister Yitzhak Mordechai has banded together with former army chief Amnon Lipkin-Shahak, former finance minister Dan Meridor, and former mayor of Tel Aviv Roni Milo to form the Center Party. Mordechai is running for prime minister. The Center Party is a challenge to the largely two-party system dominated by the conservative Likud and the social democratic Labor parties. According to Mordechai, so far 85,000 people in Israel have been "recruited" to the Center Party, including Likud supporters. The Center Party has no platform and calls for unity to oust current prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Mordechai also took on Labor candidate Ehud Barak during his party inauguration speech, saying, "He is incapable of healing social ills, like I can. He cannot unite the left and right." While Barak has been campaigning for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon, Mordechai also draws support from a layer of Israeli Arabs.

Palestinians oppose execution of men who allegedly shot cops
March 12 marked a second day of clashes in Rafah, Gaza, where scores of people protested a death sentence issued by a Palestinian court to an alleged member of Hamas convicted of killing a Palestinian Authority security officer. Demonstrators hurled stones at police, who responded with tear- gas, clubs, and live ammunition. According to a medical worker, 70 cops were injured and 15 protesters were wounded, two by bullets.

Mexico students protest fee hikes
Thousands of students at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) shut the school down and occupied major roads to protest a planned tuition hike. Under Mexico's constitution, state-run schools must offer free education. University president, Francisco Barnes de Castro, proposed raising tuition 4,533 percent - from three cents to $136. By the university's own estimates, at least 70 percent of the students cannot afford this sum. Students oppose the direction of the plan even though it reportedly contains a waiver for students who can't afford the fee. Truck driver José Luis Sánchez told reporters he supports the students. "These kids have a right to an education. We understand why they are protesting."

Panama gets back U.S. navy base
Washington formally handed over Rodman naval base to Panama March 11, the first of five bases to be returned to the Central American country by the end of 1999. A 1979 treaty signed by former U.S. president James Carter requires the U.S. government to restore control of the entire canal to the Panamanian government by years' end. Washington contends its operations there since the turn of the century have been designed to protect the canal.

In fact, the U.S. flag that has flown over Rodman base is drenched in blood. In 1903 Washington intervened in Panama to nab land to build the canal and control the zone around it "in perpetuity." Thousands of workers from Panama and other countries died building the canal. U.S. bases in the Canal Zone served as a military center for U.S. imperialism during World War II.

On Dec. 20, 1989, Washington bombed Panama and invaded the country "to restore democracy." Panamanian president Manuel Noriega was seized and jailed in the United States, and a new president, Guillermo Endara was sworn in on a U.S. military base. Armed men and women from working-class neighborhoods known as Dignity Battalions -denounced as "terrorists," "thugs," and "looters" by the imperialists - fought to defend their sovereignty to the death. Thousands of Panamanians were killed and even more were wounded and left homeless.

Court: jail OK for man who quit job, couldn't pay child support
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a federal law, the so-called Child Support Recovery Act, that makes it a jailable crime to "willfully" fail to pay child support by rejecting jobs. The March 11 ruling is binding in Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington State, and Guam.

The case was that of Jeffrey Ballek from Alaska, who had worked in construction and then quit for undisclosed reasons. The next series of jobs he took were at lower wages that did not allow him to pay support for his three children. He accumulated a nearly $57,000 debt over several years. Ballek was put on trial. The court said he broke the law by opting out of the higher-paid job, whether he did so for health reasons, poor working conditions, or any other reason. He was sentenced to six months in jail and still has to pay the debt.

Remarks by racist N. Carolina town official spark boycott
Some Black residents in the Trenton, North Carolina, area organized a week-long boycott of white-owned businesses in early March after the town's mayor made racist remarks. Trenton is a farming town of about 200 residents, one-fourth of whom are Black. Some residents filed a federal lawsuit against the town of Trenton January 12, alleging discrimination against Blacks for not annexing three surrounding communities that would bring the ratio close to 50- 50. Also at issue is the fact that no Blacks have ever served on the town council. Tensions came to a head when Joffree Leggett, the town's mayor for 16 years, said, "They [Blacks] are not leaders. A Black man would rather work for a white person." Shortly after boycotts began, Leggett was forced to resign.

- BRIAN TAYLOR  
 
 
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