English

The links between artistic settlement of depressed urban areas and its later gentrification are well known. As the area becomes "attractive" for the consumers of cultural product, and residency there imparts one with "coolness", rents go up.

Eventually even the most non-commercial and non-affluent of the bohemian settlers may be driven out. Some of these artist settlers see themselves on the same side of the economic barricade as "the people"; not being wealthy themselves, or with some contempt for the loathed yuppies and bourgeoisie, they are well aware of and are often against the gentrification process. It is hard for them then to come to terms with their role in it.

Art and cultural enterprises may be free, "popular", on the streets - but it is mainly a commercial product. Artistic entertainment is usually a form of business, thus places connected with "the art scene" are selling and profitting from cultural capital as much as landlords. Even free art on the streets can be recuperated into the "value" of a neighbourhood and ultimately benefit those with property and capital.

* The public pronouncement from the Editorial Collective of El Libertario in mid-January 2010 on the current situation in Venezuela.

While we are still suffering from the impact of the problems which had intensified towards the end of 2009, such as the fraudulent ‘Bolibourgeois’ bankers and the ongoing malaise throughout public services, a host of measures recently undertaken by the government signal a bitter start to 2010 for Venezuela. Firstly, there was the implementation of a bulky devaluation, sure to increase inflation and submerge a large sector of the population in misery. Next came the announcement of electricity rationing throughout Greater Caracas - as had been the [i]de facto[/i] case in the rest of the country - only to subsequently be suspended due to the uproar and conflict it caused, but now pending its reintroduction when the conditions are more permissive. Let us, therefore, start with a brief synopsis of the characteristics of the current crisis:

- The Bolibourgeois bankers’ fraud: the last decade has been an era of bonanza and great fortune for the financial sector, thanks to generous subsidy from the state, whose traditional monetary policy has done nothing but work for their benefit. It is precisely because of this that the sector became the focus of rapacious speculation on the part of the Bolibourgeoisie (Fernández Berrueco, Zambrano, Arné Chacón, Pedro Torres Ciliberto and the rest of the gang), leading to its unabashed pillaging, with the public support of its official supervisors such as the Banking Superintendent and the National Values Commission (governmental organisation which oversees national capital, similar to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in the UK – translator), encouragement that eradicated any sort of nostalgia for Caldera’s (Chávez’ rightwing predecessor – trans.) government and the financial crisis of the 90s, not to mention the previous eras of speculation and con tricks within the banking sector.

Press release of FAU Berlin concerning EUR 250.000 fine or 6 month of prison for the union secretaries

Kino Babylon files for disciplinary fine or arrest for disobedience to court orders against FAU Berlin

On January 12, the management of cinema Babylon Mitte filed at the Berlin county court (Landgericht) for a “harsh disciplinary fee or arrest for disobedience to court orders to be carried out against the (...) secretaries” of FAU Berlin.

Last year FAU Berlin had already been baned from using industrial action by court order and had finally been deprived the right to call itsself a “union“ or a “grass-root union”. According to the complainant FAU Berlin contravened those court orders. The punishment might be a disciplinary fine of up to EUR 250.000 (USD 375.000) or alternatively arrest for disobedience to court orders of up to six month.

A group of tenants are occupying the local housing adminstration and carrying out a hunger strike. 107 families are soon to have their gas cut off under the pretext of "saving" them from "danger". The Tenants Defense Committee intervened the first time when the city threatened to turn off the gas. During the intervention, which was filmed, the gas inspectors said that all problems with gas were minor and could be fixed very simply, within hours and one of the housing inspectors promised to do so. Despite this, the borough president intervened and put pressure on local authorities, basically saying that the gas must be turned off.

(Previous articles in English about the problem of these tenants here and here .)

It is clear from the behaviour of the politicians that the property is simply slated for development. Today tenants were basically told as much when they were told to apply for new housing. (If their house was to be repaired, they would have been told about temporary replacement housing.) All these families are about to get treated to slumlord tactics to try and harrass them out of their houses.

Today in front of the Russian Embassy was held a picket to remmber Stanislav Markelov and Anastasia Baburova who were murdered one year ago in Russia. The picket also was a sign of solidarity for the antifascist movement in Russia.

The protestors reminded people about the many murders committed in recent years by neonazis on people who they consider "foreign" or "enemies" - like immigrants, lawyers and journalists who defend human rights and antifascists. Some speeches were made and candles with photos left in front of the Embassy.

(Photos below.)

Warsaw, a city with about 2.5 million inhabitants, has only one hospital emergency room working on evenings and weekends. For the whole city. This is of course a major disaster which shows the deadly consequences of government health policy. The Voivodship has come up with a "solution" to the problem: since the one hospital cannot even cope with the number of patients it receives, starting February 1, there will be 10 emergency rooms open all night in Warsaw.

This sounds like at least an improvement. Until you find out that the National Health Fund does not intend to invest money to ensure that these emergency rooms can function.

More and more workers in Poland are going for months without pay by deadbeat bosses. In the worst cases, the bosses go running and nobody can find them.

The following deadbeats and cheaters are among the many candidates for "the Worst Boss of the Year Award": Jerzy Rowicki, "liquidator" of Collar Textil, Marek Stanislawczyk, former owner of the same company, Friedrich Langenbach of Fassaden Glas Technik in Ozorkow and Myung Bok Lee of Hanpol Electronics in Lodz. This is what happened.

On January 11 pickets were held in front of the German Embassy in Warsaw and consulates in Wroclaw, Gdansk, Gliwice and Olsztyn in support of the anarchosyndicalist union FAU. Protests were also seny in or delivered in a couple of other cities.

The pickets were to protest the court decision which essentially bans FAU as a legal trade union. Messages of solidarity were read in front of the embassy and leaflets given out. Activists promised to continue protest if the situation does not change.

Tenants from Warsaw, 29 listopada St. thought they proved that gas shouldn't be cut off from their house. Tenants' Defence Committee has the expert opinion from gas company and promise on video of administration that gas installation is OK and won't be cut off. Problem is mayor of downtown Warsaw who wants to make this misery.

Tenants received new notice about gas and made a visit to administration. Television came and showed that, according to gas company, all is OK, so the mayor's pretext about gas installation being "dangerous" is just not true.

Tenants and Defence Committe make the watch against the city to prevent cutting off gas and made the occupation action. After action at administration, police received "anonymous call" about one person active in the action that she produces illegal alcohol in her flat. It was of course not true but caused that their was police action. It is typical revenge and repression.

Small film (in Polish) is here: http://lokatorzy.info.pl/sprawa-lokatorow-z-ulicy-29-listopada-cd/

Deaths at the greek borders oktober09-january2010

this is only a report about the deaths that have been known.......
only if people survive and talk about it
or if the bodies are found , the death is getting reported.

An emergency protest was held today in the council of the local government of North Praga district where an unpredecented incident in Polish history occured on the orders of the Mayor: the city finally decided that everything done in this district for the last three years was illegal and that they would go back to the council session from Dec.27, 2006, elect a new chairperson of the council, and revote everything from the last three years!

This was an amazing move thought up by the ruling coalition who have ensured that people giving legal interpretations will support them, even though the farse was in clear contradiction to all norms and even the statute of the city.

On December 1, 2009, President Barack Obama announced that he will send tens of thousands of additional troops to Afghanistan, escalating the war in central Asia. Obama claims to want peace while he orders more war and death for poor and working people. He claims that the US fights for freedom and democracy, but he allies himself with tyrannical Afghani warlords. He does this with the backing of both Democrats and Republicans and the corporate interests they serve. None of this is new or unusual for the United States Government and its NATO allies. The only thing “new” is the person issuing the orders today: Obama, the “Candidate of Hope” was elected promising “Change.” Now in office, he delivers more of the same—using the US military to install pro-capitalist governments in countries around the world in order to maintain and expand access to raw materials, cheap
labor and consumer markets for Western corporations.

A group of members and supporters of the CNT in Tenerife held a protest on December 20 at the Labour Directorate of the Canary Islands. This was part of a continuing campaign to denounce accidents at work and the terrorism of employers which is supported by the government, but at the local and European level and by collaborationist unions.

The figures are clear: according to the World Health Organization, there are more than 2 million deaths a year from workplace accidents. This is equal to the entire popularion of the Canaries. At the local level, the number of workplace accident deaths is terrible, with more than 150 deaths in the last five years.

Over 100 people protested today in Belgrade to demand the release of the six prisoners. The demonstration went from the Ministry of “Justice” to the prison where the people are being held. They have been in custody for four months now.

People carried signs with slogans such as “Our friends are not terrorists” and “obstructionist injustice”.

For more information about the case and other resources, see this solidarity page:

www.belgradesolidarity.org

Members of ZSP are documenting safety violations at the construction site of the National Stadium in Warsaw.

One problem relates to lack of proper safety lines and nets for all workers. The site is being built by many different subcontractors, and not every one is complying with standards. The next problem is lack of training for unskilled workers who theoretically shouldn't be doing any dangerous jobs, but in reality are exposed to different hazards. The last problem, which is sorry to note, is that workers are allowed to work even if they have been drinking. This seems to be more problematic on the night shift; construction goes on at the site until 3AM.

Another safety proble is not related strictly to the worksite, but to the containers where some people are housed, in particular contract workers from the Ukraine. Since they are not properly heated. there is much makeshift heating there and this makes a fire hazard.

At the beginning of December, two workers feel off a crane and died at this site. The cage for carrying people dropped off and fell 20 meters. This crane was not allowed to carry people - but the bosses ordered people on it anyway.