News from around the world

The outcome of the ongoing battle against austerity will define the future not only of the Greeks but also the future of the European people who struggle for more democracy and equality. During the previous governments, Greece used to be a guinea pig but now is a positive example which some forces want to smash.

It was one of most fascinating days of Baba Jan’s election campaign. We started from Gilgit to join the main rally that would start from Ali Abad, in Hunza valley. We were a handful of comrades when the rally started, however within half an hour, we were over 100 on motorbikes and few cars.

We have been campaigning several years for the release of the ten “climate change prisoners” in Gilgit-Baltestan (north of Pakistan), the most prominent of them being Baba Jan. He was sentenced to life imprisonment, together with Shakrullah Baig, Iftikhar Hussain, Mahar Ali, Alleem Ullah, Irfan Ali, Rashid Minhas, Musa Baig, Sher Khan and Sher Ali.

These elections show that something has already changed. The historic defeat of the People’s Party is a forceful challenge to the policies of attack on rights, on democracy, a real slap in the face to the policies that have led to the working social majority into a situation of continuing impoverishment while the elites are enriched. It is only natural because the electorate is composed mostly of people that work every day to generate wealth and have suffered from the crisis. There is a fundamental advance in these elections: the consolidation of political tools such as the candidacies of Popular Unity and Podemos, through which the people have been able to express themselves. The popular mandate is clear: throw the PP out of all institutions without allowing the PSOE to provide a superficial replacement.

Farmers and labor unions marched in the southern Peruvian district of Cocachacra on Saturday May 16 to continue the ongoing fight to shut down Tía María, a controversial mining project from the transnational U.S.-Mexican company Southern Copper.

Chilean President Michelle Bachelet signed a bill into law recognising civil unions between same-sex couples on April 13. Another piece of legislation on gay marriage is currently debated between representatives of the LGBT movement and various ministers.

This statement was issued by Left Unity after the results of the General Election in the United Kingdom on 7 May 2015.

Baba Jan’s nomination papers to contest general elections for Gilgit Beltestan assembly for constituency GB 6 Hunza valley have been accepted by the returning officer. He is standing as an Awami Workers’ Party candidate.

La Via Campesina wants to express its solidarity and support with the peasants and all people in Nepal after the terrible recent earthquake. Nepalese authorities estimate that almost 10.000 people may have died, and many more wounded. We are deeply saddened by this tragedy that has taken place as well as by the suffering of all the people that lost relatives, friends and their homes. We are especially aware that suffering is made worse in remote rural villages where the situation is critical. These areas cannot be reached by regular transport, making it difficult to organize support.

Liam Mc Quade of the East London Teachers’ Association reports on the first local government and trade union delegation from England to visit Athens since the election of Syriza, the anti-austerity party, to office in Greece.