IV550 - November 2020

Nine years after being imprisoned, Baba Jan and his last three imprisoned comrades have been released. Nine years during which we have more than once feared for his life, nine years punctuated by legal battles and vast mobilizations in Pakistan, as well as multiple campaigns of international solidarity. Eleven of his fellow prisoners having previously been released from prison, all the convicts from the Hunza Valley in Gilgit Baltistan, a semi-autonomous Himalayan territory under Pakistani control, are now free.

The following interview, given by Éric Toussaint to the Argentine review Mugica, has been adapted to make it accessible to readers who are not necessarily aware of the details of what is going on in Argentina.
The arguments used in the article are supported by the realities of the situation in Argentina. They can be applied to many countries around the world as they are based on a series of concrete experiences, jurisprudence and concepts linked to international law.
Mugica Review: In (…)

Every 17 November the labour and student movements commemorate the 1973 revolt of the students of the Polytechnic School against the military junta. This revolt was repressed by tanks leaving between 40 and 80 dead but heralded the beginning of the end for the junta. This obviously displeases the right, which tries to neutralize or prevent these commemorations.

The surprising success of the online mobilisation, “From the Ground Up”, from 12-16 November, poses new challenges and new responsibilities for the climate movement. This “Global Gathering for Climate Justice” was organised by the COP26 Coalition to mark the time when the United Nations climate talks were meant to have taken place in Glasgow. Lasting five days with 53 events and some 8,000 people registered, it brought together an impressive range of movements, speakers and topics. Together they sketched out key components of the response that is needed to the climate and Covid crisis – not only in the next year leading up to the postponed COP26 in Glasgow, but beyond that across the coming decade, when drastic action is needed to keep the global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius.

What’s at stake in upcoming 29 November municipal elections across Brazil?

Should the ecological left aim to reduce all consumption, or to radically transform the prevalent type of consumption?

The government is threatening severe repression. The democracy movement is calling for increased mobilization. The first key date announced is 25 November.

International Viewpoint previously published a statement rebutting the attacks against Hugo Blanco, “Massive support for Hugo Blanco faced with ultra-right attacks”. Here he speaks in his own words.

“Reasons to believe that we will continue to advance until we can build a broad movement that makes the slogan “Down with the king!” a proposal for the future.”

Nearly all of Hong Kong’s opposition lawmakers (or 19 out of 21) resigned after the government disqualified their four colleagues for “breaching their oath to the Basic Law” and failing to uphold China’s sovereignty over Hong Kong.