Venezuelan women dedicate this March 8 to President Chavez
In Venezuela this March 8, International Women’s Day will be dedicated to President Hugo Chavez, who in his 14 years in office fought for justice for women and created laws and missions for their benefit.
The Minister for Women and Gender Equality, Nancy Perez, said that “We here in Venezuela tell the world that we dedicate this day to our commander Hugo Chavez, because he gave us many days.”
The official recalled that the leader of the Bolivarian Revolution gave hope to the people. Therefore, “We will never forget and most importantly, we will not let you down.”
The laws promulgated for the benefit of women during his tenure include the Organic Law on the Right of Women to a Life Free of Violence, Equal Opportunities, Responsible Parenthood, Promotion and Protection of Breastfeeding and the Labor Law for workers.
On March 8, 2009, President Chavez created the Ministry for Women and Gender Equality, as an institution to protect and defend the rights of the women, according to international treaties and agreements.
Three Kurdish women activists slain in Paris
PARIS — Three female Kurdish activists were found dead Thursday at an information center for Kurds in Paris, all of them shot in the head in what a French official described as execution-style killings.
The victims included Sakine Cansiz, a co-founder of the militant nationalist Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK. Interior Minister Manuel Valls said the deaths were “no doubt executions” and called them “intolerable.”
The three women were last seen inside the information center of the Kurdish Institute in north Paris about noon Wednesday.
The alarm was raised by a member of the Kurdish community who became worried after failing to reach one of the women on her cellphone. Friends visited the center and, after seeing traces of blood on the locked door of the unmarked office on the first floor, broke in and found the three bodies in the early hours of Thursday.
Valls, visiting the center later Thursday morning, said France’s anti-terrorist brigade had been called to investigate and pledged that authorities would do all they could to “shed light on this act.”
The PKK, which demands greater autonomy for Turkish Kurds, is regarded by the U.S. and theEuropean Union as a terrorist organization.
In addition to Cansiz, the victims were identified as Fidan Dogan, 32, who worked in the information center and was Paris representative of the Brussels-based Kurdistan National Congress, and Leyla Soylemez, described by the Kurdish center as “a young activist.”
Salvador Allende and Che Guevara
Bronx, New York
Comrade Qasem: We want dignity, freedom and self determination
The liberated prisoner Comrade Woroud Qasem called urgently for a popular movement to take action on behalf of Palestinian prisoners in the jails of the occupation, to uphold unity and resistance, and to unite to confront the occupation. In an interview on August 14, 2012 with the Voice of the People radio, she said “We are one people, with so many martyrs who have fallen in the cause of freedom for our land. We do not want chairs with no power, we want to live in dignity, freedom and self-determination. We have suffered from division for too long and must become one hand so as to prevent the enemy from exploiting the division.”
She said she was shocked to be released, saying she was accustomed to the manipulations of the occupation, and had been promised release more than one time only to then be told it would not happen, saying that this was an attempt to manipulate prisoners’ feelings and emotions. She said that all of the practices and policies of the Zionist occupation could not kill the will of Palestinian prisoners and that those who have been patient for many years can retain their patience again and again.
She said that her feelings at the moment of freedom were indescribable, and she wanted each prisoner to experience those feelings, and the joy of welcome by her family and community. “I did not believe that they were releasing me,” she said, “but when I left the door of the prison, and saw my family there, I felt I had actually been freed. It was a very strange feeling after long years of captivity, and the indescribable joy of seeing my father and mother, my sister, who had been denied visits for an entire year, and my brother and his children, who had been denied permission to visit.”
Comrade Qasem said that the prisoners remaining in the occupation jails suffer from extremely difficult circumstances, harsh measures of repression, and attacks on prisoners in units targeted for raids. She also called for action to save the life of prisoner Lena Jarboni, who is suffering from a serious health condition due to inflammation of the gallbladder because of medical neglect, saying that the occupation prisons deal with prisoners as guinea pigs and that Lena Jarboni was scheduled to receive surgery, which has now been cancelled.
”If you hear the dogs, keep going. If you see the torches in the woods, keep going. If there’s shouting after you, keep going. Don’t ever stop. Keep going. If you want a taste of freedom, keep going.” - Harriet Tubman
Stand up for Political Prisoner Robert Seth Hayes!
Revolutionary greetings, dear comrades, friends and supporters.
This is Robert Seth Hayes, a former member of the Black Panther Party and a Black Liberation Army combatant. Still incarcerated, yet still progressing, I am determined to have closure to an era of Civil Rights struggles. To those of you who have been partners in solidarity, I extend my arms to enfold you. Let the vibration of my beating heart surround and comfort you. And may my spirit ever illuminate as a light along the path, as you continue your journey of making history. Greetings of profound respect. To all the Sisters and Brothers new to this all inclusive struggle: welcome, thank you, your support and attention are sorely needed.
In June of 2012 I will return to the New York State parole board, and again apply for release. After being originally incarcerated in 1973, I first came up for parole in 1998, and have continued to receive two year hits since then. At present, we are again engaged in fund raising mode for our new legal strategy and have our work cut out for us. We are our own liberators, so we again ask you for assistance.
June of 2012 is the next date where we will again meet our opposition and enter the fight for freedom. We have already accomplished much, but the battle resumes and again we must be prepared.
Please assist us with whatever funds you can contribute in this on going fight to free all PP/POW’s.
Please send contributions for the Legal Defense Fund for Robert Seth Hayes to our director: Nate Buckley, 438 Massachusetts avenue, Buffalo, NY 14213.
If you wish to send a letter to the parole commissioners requesting my release and asking them to bring closure to both our fallen freedom fighters and our communities as a whole, send your letters c/o Cheryl L. Kates, P.C., Attorney At Law, PO Box 734, Victor NY 14564.
Your efforts are honored and appreciated. Stay Strong.
Know that your love and support provides support and strengthens my and others determination to prevail.
As a political prisoner and prisoner of war, I extend to you much love and admiration, from the many who are confined, but who remain still at the heart of the struggle. Much love to you!
With honor and respect, love and solidarity,
Robert Seth Hayes
Africa & the struggle against imperialism: 40 years after Kwame Nkrumah
By Abayomi Azikiwe
Editor, Pan-African News WireApril 27 marked the 40th anniversary of the passing of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the founder of modern-day Ghana and a leading theoretician of the post-World War II national liberation movement for unity and socialism. Nkrumah’s legacy is reflected in the ongoing efforts of the peoples of Africa and the world who seek genuine freedom from colonialism, neocolonialism and imperialism.
Black men DO, in Kehinde’s work, what they refuse to do in (mainstream) Rap music, which is be fragile, be human and demand to be free. - allcity
(Source: sugarless-boi)
Assata: Exile since 1979
On May 2 1973, Black Panther activist Assata Shakur (fsn) JoAnne Chesimard, was pulled over by the New Jersey State Police, shot twice and then charged with murder of a police officer. Assata spent six and a half years in prison under brutal circumstances before escaping out of the maximum security wing of the Clinton Correctional Facility for Women in New Jersey in 1979 and moving to Cuba.Assata: In her own words
My name is Assata (“she who struggles”) Shakur (“the thankful one”), and I am a 20th century escaped slave. Because of government persecution, I was left with no other choice than to flee from the political repression, racism and violence that dominate the US government’s policy towards people of color. I am an ex political prisoner, and I have been living in exile in Cuba since 1984. I have been a political activist most of my life, and although the U.S. government has done everything in its power to criminalize me, I am not a criminal, nor have I ever been one. In the 1960s, I participated in various struggles: the black liberation movement, the student rights movement, and the movement to end the war in Vietnam. I joined the Black Panther Party. By 1969 the Black Panther Party had become the number one organization targeted by the FBI’s COINTELPRO program. because the Black Panther Party demanded the total liberation of black people, J. Edgar Hoover called it “greatest threat to the internal security of the country” and vowed to destroy it and its leaders and activists.
THE REVOLUTIONARY WOMEN OF LIBYA: Mother and 17 year old daughter who are an example of the masses of Libyan women who have volunteered to take up the government weapons training and government issued weapons on offer and to run one of the very few checkpoints in Tripoli. Masses of women are also fighting on the frontline.
All of this mother’s sons are fighting on the frontline and in tears she explained to us that she would be happy to give her blood to protect her beloved leader Muammar Gaddafi and country who she said has always worked hard for the liberation of Libyan women. She called for death to NATO and told them to face the people on the ground instead of being cowards in the sky. She said every Libyan who dies is her child, that it is why it is her duty to do everything in her power to defend her family, people, leader and country.
The 17 year old sister said Muammar Gaddafi is her father because of all he has done for the liberation of women in Libya. She said her mother brought her up to be strong and stand up for her people.
By Lizzie Phelan, photo by Sukant Chandan
Meet Camila Vallejo, president of the Federation of Chilean Students (FECH) and leader of the protests for education reform in Chile. On Thursday, the march she led gathered more than 100,000 people who came in support of students’ rally for free university education. Yesterday, “Families for education”, an informal get together for families with young children, gathered more than 1 million participants. She was the main speaker and organizer.
I am surprised English speaking media is not all over her case already. She has encountered bitter misogyny from government ministers that refer to her as “the bitch”, she has successfully created a political movement that is demanding concrete action and she is extremely media savvy and articulate. Charismatic, young, smart and beautiful, those are not qualities found in many political figures these days.
She is also a proud member of the Communist Youth (JJCC).
