Beginning of decisive struggle of Pakistani working class On September 7, the South Punjab Labour Conference was held in Multan with many delegates from workplaces and workers’ leaders present. The conference was organised by the Multan Joint Action Committee and the purpose of the gathering was to unite all the various struggles of the Pakistani workers on one platform.
Malaysia: 50 years of independence - Colonialism at the root of the national question Today August 31, Malaysia celebrates half a century of independence from British colonial rule. At the age of 50, Malaysia still suffers from a deep ethnic and religious divide sown by imperialism. Today's problems are the legacy of colonial rule and continuing capitalist interests pitting ordinary working people against each other.
Indian independence (part 3) - Role of the Communist Party of India during Partition In the 1940s the Communist Party of India (CPI) was a prisoner of the policies imposed by Stalin on the international communist movement. In backward and colonial countries, Stalin decreed, the movement had to go through two stages - democracy, then socialism. This proved disastrous for the workers of the whole of the Indian subcontinent.
Indian independence (Part 2) - The crime of partition Today marks the 60th anniversary of Indian independence from British rule. In reality, the partition of India in 1947 cut through the living body of whole communities, leading to untold death and misery. This was all part of the tried and tested method of “divide and rule†and behind it lay the interests of privileged ruling elites, not those of the poor masses.
In spite of draconian labour laws workers in United Arab Emirates are on strike There are very repressive labour laws in the United Arab Emirates. In spite of this a strike has erupted at the Consolidated Construction International Company (CCIC) in Abu Dhabi. The official media is not reporting on this. Send the government and the company a message letting them know we know what is going on.
Pakistan: the Storming of the Red Mosque - When Chickens come home to Roost The recent dramatic events at the Red Mosque in Islamabad cannot be understood unless one looks below the surface at the real situation in Pakistan. The state in its various forms has fostered Islamic fundamentalism over a long period. That explains the slow and bungled reaction of Musharraf. It also reveals the deep crisis afflicting the whole of Pakistani society.
Interview with Kohila, a leading member of the Parti Sosialis Malaysia We recently interviewed comrade Kohila, a leading member of the Parti Sosialis Malaysia (Socialist Party of Malaysia), while she was over in London. Before the interview she asked us to explain what the International Marxist Tendency (IMT), is, in which countries it is based and what are its basic principles.
Indian Independence (Part 1) - Marx and Indian history In this first article Jamil Iqbal outlines Marx’s analysis of how British imperialism, by introducing capitalist methods, broke down the old Asiatic mode of production and with it the old type of social structures. The British capitalists did this simply to facilitate the exploitation of Indian resources and labour, but by so doing also prepared the ground for the modern struggle against British imperialism.
Repression of Venezuela discussion in Indonesia highlights hypocrisy of West over “freedom of speech” In the midst of the hue and cry over the non-renewal of RCTV’s license in Venezuela, freedom of speech is being blatantly violated in other parts of the world. In Indonesia, an event to discuss Marta Harnecker’s book ‘Understanding the Venezuelan Revolution’ was disrupted through intimidations by the police and hooligans.
Landslide victory of Kashmiri Marxists in Paramedic Staff Union Election The steady work of the Marxists in Kashmir has produced an amazing breakthrough in the Paramedical Staff Union in the region, where they won a massive victory in the recent union elections.
Problems of Sindhi Nationalism - What way forward? Sindhi nationalism is an expression of the impasses the masses in Sindh face under the oppressive feudal-capitalist regime that dominates the whole of Pakistan. Genuine Sindhi liberation in today's context can only be achieved through socialist revolution and the unity of the workers of all nationalities. Dr Beenish Shoro looks at the Sindhi national conquest from a Marxist point of view.
The workers of the Signals Department on Pakistan Railways are reaching their limit In spite of being of key importance to the functioning and safety of the Pakistan railways, the workers of the Signals Department are constantly harassed and abused by the railway authorities, up to and including the threat of police measures. These workers are reaching the limit of what they can take and are now threatening strike action.
Pakistan - a state at war with itself The carnage and the mayhem in Karachi on May 12 is another reminder of the rapidly deteriorating socio-economic and political situation in Pakistan. In the last seven years the quasi-military regime in Pakistan has been lurching from one crisis to another.
Unemployed Youth Movement (BNT) Cricket Tournament in Lahore On the night of May 5, 2007 a cricket tournament was organized by Berozgaar Nojawaan Tehreek (BNT), in Lahore. The revolutionary speeches given during the tournament exposed the lack of facilities and poor infrastructure not only in the field of sports but in all other fields of life.
May 1: Burning mud-bowl demonstration in Kasur The burning mud-bowl procession of May 1 was the most glorious in the history of Kasur. It was organised by the PTUDC in collaboration with the People's Party Kasur. Workers from some twenty unions took an active part in the procession.
