The Militant(logo) 
    Vol.63/No.28           August 16, 1999 
 
 
In Brief  

Washington kills 33 in Iraq
U.S. warplanes killed 17 civilians, wounded 18 others, and destroyed a number of houses on July 17, in an assault on the city of al-Najaf in southern Iraq. The al-Manadhirah subdistrict, where the bombing took place, is a civilian neighborhood in which there are no military units. The same day, the imperialist forces bombarded the city of al-Kufah, killing 16 civilians and injuring nine.

Washington has bombed Iraq more than 60 times since December 28, in what U.S. officials call "low-intensity warfare." Since its murderous war against that country in 1991, the U.S. government has maintained "no-fly" zones over much of Iraq and carried out repeated attacks with the aim of replacing the Iraqi regime with one that is subservient to imperialism's interests in gaining a strategic military foothold in the Mideast.

Tokyo threatens north Korea
Tokyo threatened to end all aid to north Korea and suspend its $1-billion promised investment in providing the country with nuclear reactors and fuel-oil shipments. The Japanese government claims Pyongyang may test-fire a long-range missile as the pretext for balking on the agreements. Washington, which maintains a massive military presence in and around south Korea, has backed Tokyo, asserting that the north Korean government might use missiles to transport weapons of "mass destruction."

Basque independence fighters are released from prison
The Spanish state was forced to release 22 members of Herri Batasuna (Popular Unity), the Basque pro-independence political party, from prison after they had served 19 months of a seven-year sentence. The Constitutional Court ruled the leaders were convicted under a 1973 law that was unconstitutional. They were accused of collaborating with the ETA (Basque Homeland and Freedom), an armed Basque liberation organization.

The Basque leaders were jailed for the so-called collaborative crime of attempting to show an election campaign video on television. The video included the ETA's proposals for a process leading to self-determination for the Basque people, who are an oppressed people in northern Spain and southern France.

Protests force government in Ecuador to freeze fuel prices
Two weeks of work stoppages and demonstrations involving thousands of taxi drivers, peasants, indigenous people, and other workers forced Ecuadoran president Jamil Mahuad to reverse a 13.1 percent hike in fuel prices. Mahuad agreed to freeze fuel prices for a year and lift the state of emergency. The president has been planning a $3-billion austerity program, including the sales of six generating companies and one electricity distributor, in order to ensure a $400-million agreement with the International Monetary Fund. Inflation in Ecuador is the highest in Latin America, and the banking system threatens to collapse.

Mahuad first tried to raise the price of fuel in March, but taxi and bus drivers responded with a strike and protests across the country causing a national standstill. The gov ernment's new attempt ignited a protest in early July initiated by the taxi drivers, who were soon joined by the transportation unions including more than 60,000 truck and bus drivers. A general strike was called by the Patriotic Front, an umbrella organization of union, indigenous, students, and community organizations, in support of the transportation workers. Thousands of peasants marched into Quito, the capital city, to joint the protests.

One of the main indigenous organizations, Conaie, joined in by blocking the highways, stopping transportation of produce to the cities, and occupying public institutions. Banana workers also joined in the strike.

Farmers in Argentina demand relief from plummeting prices
As prices for commodities plummet and debts mount, thousands of farmers marched into the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires July 21, demanding compensation from the growing agricultural crisis there. As long columns of buses and trucks packed with demonstrators snarled the city, hundreds of cops stood behind metal barriers. The protesters, who charge the government with ignoring farm foreclosures and layoffs, called on the government to lower taxes, particularly gas and auto levies, and reduce highway tolls they must pay to bring their goods to market. The farmers also want relief from debt financing. Farmers were joined by farm workers and transport workers, who carried out a strike in early July over imposed taxes. After a three-day strike by farm workers in April, the government of President Carlos Menem said it is working on measures to ease the crisis.

Virginia abortion ban lifted
U.S. District Judge Robert Payne stuck down a Virginia law that would ban a late-term abortion procedure dubbed partial birth abortion by opponents of a woman's right to choose. The law, Payne ruled July 16, was dangerously vague and violated the due process clause of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Payne also noted that it did not contain an exception for abortions performed when a woman's life or health is in jeopardy. Virginia state attorney general Mark Earley, an opponent of a woman's right to choose, said he would appeal the decision.

Virginia is one of 28 states that have attempted to ban the late-term abortion procedure. But in 20 of those states these laws have been blocked or severely limited by the courts. Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Utah have laws still in effect.

Prisoner dies while fighting fire
An man incarcerated in a state prison died before dawn July 18 while fighting a wildfire in southern California. He was one of about 50 prisoners who were put to work fighting the 2,000-acre brush fire. The inmate was using a chainsaw in the dark when he fell from a 150-foot cliff, according to Ventura County officials. State prison inmates are commonly used to fight wildfires in California.

Florida rulers execute again
Blood formed a puddle on Allen Lee Davis's chest as he was executed at the Florida State Prison in Starke, Florida, July 8. While prison officials said it came from a nosebleed, Dr. Michael Bell, chief deputy medical examiner in Miami-Dade County, said people who are electrocuted don't usually bleed. The July 8 execution was the first in Florida in 15 months and the first in a new electric chair. The older one, nicknamed "Ol' Sparky" was replaced after 76 years. The gruesome scene sparked renewed calls by some politicians to replace the electric chair with lethal injections. The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida has called for a halt to executions.

Less than two weeks later at the same prison, an inmate on death row in Tallahassee was apparently killed by prison guards. Frank Valdez, 36, was found dead in his cell. He had broken ribs and boot marks on his body. Nine guards at the prison have been suspended pending an investigation; one of their lawyers claimed Valdez killed himself.

- MEGAN ARNEY AND HILDA CUZCO

 
 
 
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