English

Veikko Leväaho was an anarchist in Finland at times where movement was practically not existing in country. He has told that he first become interested on anarchism when listening radio broadcasts on events of Spanish Revolution when he was 12 years old. However left-wing views also came from family background - his father was a vegetarian and theosophist. Leväaho was born in St. Petersburg, his parents were from big Finnish community of the city, but eventually they emigrated to Finland in 1928 due to harshening political situation in Soviet Union.

During Second World war, he already had an established world view. He was serving as a meteorologist in air forces. In April of 1944 he refused to read a blessing of god in an evening ceremony, he argued that as an atheist this would be insulting towards his fellows in service. He was given one month water and bread-sentence, which he served in a prison in Kuopio.

There were few prominent anarchists in Finland at the time - Harry Järv only became anarchist after emigration to Sweden after war, former veteran of anarchist armed struggle 1906-1909 Kustaa Liukonen had become a left-wing social-democrat for a long time ago, just as former wobbly and a longtime leader of Seamen's union in Finland Niilo Wälläri.

* A translation of a March 2008 interview conducted by the French
anarchist Charles Reeve with two members of the El Libertario group
www.nodo50.org/ellibertario in Caracas, the nation’s capital, which offers
some stark insights into the reality of the situation.

This month (February 2009) marks the tenth anniversary of Hugo Chávez’s coming to power in Venezuela, and ten years of the “Bolivarian revolution”. This process has included waves of state intervention in the economy and fervent rhetoric against US imperialism. But while some on the left see this Chavista movement as the new “socialism for the 21st century”, A more radical critique has argued that it is actually more like an old-fashioned attempt at modernisation by a technocratic élite (including an ex-situationist as second-in-command of the ministry of information and propaganda); that increased bureaucratic power over
capital is not inherently progressive; and that the “revolution” in Venezuela allows for very little working-class control or initiative from below.

Love Awakening7 for tomorrow + general info
very true from 4-7pm in radio patapoe 88.3 fm (the link below)

Tomorrow issue thats like usual agenda, then as main subject would be Love. We will tackle the main subject for week after ALF and animal rights. Also we will continue to give some Do It Yourself tips. We will try to fit in between good sides off squatting movement...

radio awakening every tue from 16.00-19.00 in radio patapoe 88.3 fm (links below)
to download program (about DIY culture and tips)from last week go to:
http://www.archive.org/details/GriksAwakeningdiy

Murder of Stanislav Markelov 19th of January was a big blow against Russian human rights community. During the decade, Stanislav was involved in many high-profile human rights cases. Many of the people Stanislav defended have financial problems in finding new, qualified lawyers to do their cases. We appeal for you to contribute financially to help them. Fundraising is coordinated by For Human Rights and by Institute of Collective Action.

Below short summaries of cases, with whom Stanislav was working with in time of his murder. Unfortunately papers of Stanislav were taken by police for purposes of the investigation, and we may not guarantee, that
the list is complete - in case new cases arise during the fundraising, we will append them to the list. Funds raised with the appeal will be distributed evenly amongst the cases, up to full costs of a new lawyer for individual cases. If we manage to raise funds for all the cases, extra funds will be channeled for lawyer costs of upcoming
similar cases with those Stanislav has been working with.

PRESS CZYTAJ DALEJ TO READ FURTHER

Throughout the night before the rally we did banners and a variety of posters and an action plan for the next rally. By the morning we made some 15 posters with the slogans - «The workers and students together», «Kherson Today and tomorrow the whole Ukraine», «One solution - the resistance», «To workers: plant, wages, worker control», «Revolution NOW» etc., and one big banner - «Do not give up, keep up the strike».

On May 27th at 18.35 a strange man approached seat number 22D of International Ukrainians Airlines airplane, flight 204. His boots did not have laces and were slipping off with every step. Neither did his pants serve him well, as they lacked a belt and were slipping off. He had no carry-on bags. He was followed by ten other such strange passengers. Their faces revealed that they were on this plane as a result of unusual circumstances. These were not terrorists, but they were treated like terrorists. These were regular people, but they weren't treated like regular people. In the airplane cabin, they were escorted by security. They were deportees.

Antirascist Awakening7 for tomorrow - +i ssue from week ago +general info

Tomorrow issue thats like usual agenda, then as main subject mobilisation for blocking the nazi demo in Dresden in Germany. We will have guests from UNITED against racism and others who are going there. Then we will have phone guests from Poland (Zaczek - Union of Syndicalists of Poland.) who will explain to us about solidarity compaign for Polish worker exploited by dutch company Groen Flex and Eurocontract who didn't pay for his insurance and now after accident he have to pay his medical costs. We will try to fit in between good sides off squatting movement...

In the night of January 13th 2009, an incendiary device, composed of gas canisters and gasoline, exploded in the entrance of the commissariat of Evomos (region of Thessalonica), and damaged the windows in the facade and the ventilation system. Shortly after, the police arrested the 26 year old anarchist Ilias Nikolau, who does not live far from there. Ilias was, together with Dimitra Sirianou and Kostakis Halazas, subject of an arrest warrant for over a year, concerning the same case as Vaggelis Botzatzis (on the accusation of several arsons). Vaggelis was released on conditions on October 13th 2008.

Here is a very sad story of one of our friends, who was badly exploited by a Dutch company Eurocontract and their Polish partner Groen Flex. He felt ill because of the working conditions and the company who hired him didn't pay his health insurance, as they should. Now, not only is he without work, but he has to pay the medical costs of 2318,50 Euro. We are looking for ways to force the company to compensate him.

Our comrade Michal has signed a contract with a temp worker agency called Groen Flex in Opole in Poland on December 12th, 2008 in order to work at Eurocontract Zeeland B.Vz with headquarters in Goes. The contract was for a period of 78 weeks for work in greenhouses, sorting vegetables. The Polish and Dutch contract guaranteed health insurance starting on December 15th.

He started working in the Netherlands on December 15th in the port of Vlissingen. It turned out that he was employed on a shipyard construction site instead of sorting vegetables! But he started to work anyway, despite the fact that he didn't receive any safety training and didn't know English or Dutch, so he couldn't read the warning signs. He was forced to work without protective masks cleaning ships in Middeelburg. After exposure to the different substances in the ship he lost consciousness and was taken to the hospital, to the cardiology department in Vlissingen.

The bosses were notified of the event, but no one came to visit him in the hospital. He was able to communicate with the doctors only thanks to a Pole living in Holland. After 24 hours he was let out of the hospital. He found himself without any more work, having worked only 6 days out of the period signed in the contract of 78 weeks! His employers informed him that everything is ok with the hospital bill, because he is insured. He left for Poland on January 9th.

Back in Poland, it turned out that he wasn't insured by the company. The bill for the medical assistance of 2318,50 Euro was sent to his home address.

Europ Assistance Polska Sp.z.o.o acting on behalf of the insurance company S.T.U Hestia S.A informed him that they cannot refund his treatement. It turned out that the company wasn't paying his insurance during his stay in Holland. He called Groen Flex to clarify the issue. They informed him that Groen Flex has nothing to do with Eurocontract (even though they represent the company in Poland) and that he can go to court if he wishes.

Groen Flex receives money from the Polish state to combat unemployment and
advertises in the state employment offices.

The address of the Dutch company: Eurocontract Zeeland B.V, 4462 JM GOES,
Stationspark 29 E.

“In one night “reality” and “normality” died...”

On 6th of December 2008 in Greece pigs shot dead in cold blood 15 years old Alexis Grigoropoulos. That was the last straw which broke camel’s back and proletarian anger, which had been expressing itself through strikes and riots against attacks of Capital on living standards of our class, erupted. Suddenly, an uprising broke out and after several decades the specter of proletarian insurgency and open class struggle against capitalism returned to Europe. University and high school students as well as many pupils spontaneously surged into the streets of Greek cities and towns in order to assault police stations and all cops with stones and Molotov cocktails. Students and pupils were quickly joined by immigrant proletarians of every age, young “Greeks” with badly paid precarious jobs, but also by quite a lot of workers of an older generation. Even many unemployed and people from the margins of the class society took part: Romas, illegal refugees, drug addicts… Football hooligans forgot their dim-witted fights among each other and joined the struggle against the real enemy – repressive forces of the state. Immediately, it became clear to everybody that cops are nothing else but mercenaries of state terrorism. It became evident that they “serve” only smooth working of the system of private property of some and wage exploitation of others; and also that they “protect” merely law and order of this bourgeois system. “Dutiful citizens” and the belief in Democracy disappeared in clouds of smoke and tear gas and among blows of police batons.

*The following article was originally published on Jan. 30 2009 in El Mundo, a Caracas daily. Written by a member of the editorial collective of El Libertario www.nodo50.org/ellibertario , it calls attention to what we fear is a bloody attack against these original inhabitants of the western part of the country.

The information glut regarding the referendum on the Constitutional Amendment (to take place on 2/15/09) has hidden serious events happening in the state of Zulia, in particular the Sierra of Perija. It is the dangerous situation the Yukpa people are living due to their attempt to recover their land.

Landowners in the cattle business have been taking these lands that they know are the historical property of the Wayuu, Barí and Yukpa peoples. The latter acted in 2008 occupying several haciendas to recover what was theirs; the state reacted by promising to pay the ranchers the value of the improvements as a way to compromise.

Stop forced evictions and further death in South Korea

In South Korea, 5 people died while protesting against an imminent forced eviction

1. Summary of the Incidence

At 6 a.m. on 20th January, people who were asking for solutions to avoid eviction in February in Youngsan-Gu, Seoul lost their lives as a consequence of violent oppression from the police. A 1500 strong police force was dispatched to disperse about 50 protesters. The police actions taken toward these protesters were similar to those taken in times war. Less than a day after those facing eviction started protesting and without further conversations or an effort to discuss the issues, the government dispatched a special police force and staged an anti-terror operation. After the police entered the building where the protesters were, a fire broke out and the circumstances became dangerous. However, without taking any safety measures, the police proceeded with the operation which resulted in the death of 5 protesters and 1 police officer.

Dispatching a special police force for an anti-terror operation in less than 24 hours is a rare case even in South Korea. Since the Conservatives took power however, the police have often cracked down on protesters in a violent way. This incidence also happened under this context.

A place to pray for the dead was set up at the spot of the incident. Despite of it being the Korean New Year holiday, visits from people continue. A fact finding committee composed of civilian organizations is carrying out investigations whilst the government is trying to close the case as soon as possible.

On February 1, in Moscow (3:00 p.m.), Paris (3:00 p.m.), Rome (5:00 pm), and other Russian and European cities, protest demonstrations will be held in memory of Stanislav Markelov and Anastasia Baburova, and in solidarity with all those bold, active people who do not merely live in our society, but who also try to change it for the better, to make it a freer and more just place.

What is the point of going to a demonstration? Why do people in different cities assemble and discuss such things with each other if

THERE IS NO POINT IN DEMONSTRATING?

* Because we won’t bring Stanislav Markelov and Anastasia Baburova back to life this way;
* because we won’t shed any light on this case by standing in the streets;
* because we will also be demonstrating against ourselves—
* because in fact we are also responsible for their deaths:
* because we allowed someone to think that it is possible to murder people in broad daylight in Russia, in the center of Moscow, without upsetting anyone.

Stanislav Markelov defended the rule of law. Anastasia Baburova covered crimes against justice in the press. They defended our rights, the rights of the citizens of Russia. The rights of young people who are not content with arbitrary treatment and abuse by the authorities. The rights of adults who have been persecuted. They stood up for us, and we lost them.

A city councillor, Izabela Kminikowska, claims that residents of the city of Katowice insisted that the Chechen refugees living in a refugee center in the Zaleze district be "removed".

All of the refugees will be evicted by the end of January and taken to different places in Poland. The first group was removed on Jan.27 and taken to Lomza.

About 300 refugees from Chechnya were living in the center. Among them are over 100 children, more than half of which had started school.

This is just another attempt to make refugees disappear from Polish cities. The greater Katowice metropolitan area is home to over 3.5 million people and the average monthly salary in Katowice is the highest in Poland. It is in a very good position to both absorb the refugees and provide them with opportunities for housing, employment, education and integration. They are being moved to small cities, towns and even villages where they will be more isolated, where there is high unemployment, poverty and few chances for the children.

You can write a protest to the president of the city or the municipal office.
Prezydent@um.katowice.pl

Urzad_Miasta@um.katowice.pl

In last days Polish anarchists made series of pickets at Russian Embassy and Consulates to remember Stanislaw Markielow and Anastazja Baburowa, killed in Moscow. 22 January in Poznan, 25 January in Gdansk and 26 January in Warsaw, biggest picket at Russian Embassy.

We consider these killings as political murders to shut up the people who oppose the criminal regime. The Russian army is conducting the war crimes in Chechenia, its officials can rape and kill and the people who try to say or do something about this need to fear for their lives. It is clear example of the state sponsored terrorism.

We won't forget and we won't forgive. Enough killing of political activists in Russia! Stanislaw and Anastazja, RIP.