[Onthebarricades] Various stories

Sat Oct 13 12:44:49 PDT 2007

*  Egyptian textile strike links

*  French taxi drivers protest liberalisation

*  Malaysia:  lawyers protest corruption

*  Bangladesh: left parties protest IMF, foreign interference

*  Indonesia: protesters oppose crackdown byelaw

*  Botswana:  Bushmen updates 

These are some links to the on-going Egyptian Textile worker's strike 
for higher wages, sharing profits and giving benefits. The Egyptian 
working class is amongst the lowest paid in the world. Industrial 
unrest has been particularly strong since last year.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7013184.stm

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/F7ED9823-F42C-457D-97A1-142BFFF8F205.htm

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4216755a4560.html

French taxis snarl roads in petrol protest 
Reuters | Thursday, 27 September 2007

Thousands of taxi drivers snarled traffic in French cities in protest at an end to tax breaks on petrol and threats to liberalise their profession. 

Horns blaring and moving at a snail's pace, hundreds of taxis converged on a Paris district that houses many government buildings. Other cars slowed access to the capital's main Charles de Gaulle airport. 

"Around 80 per cent of Paris' 15,000 taxi drivers are mobilised," said a spokesman at the large CFDT union. There were also protests in the cities of Bordeaux, Lille and Lyon. 

Taxi drivers are up in arms over government plans to scrap a tax break on petrol duties from January that they say will cost them up to 2200 euros ($NZ4263) a year. 

They are also worried centre-right President Nicolas Sarkozy plans to liberalise the highly regulated taxi sector and introduce more taxi licences. 

Finding a taxi during the rush hour can be mission impossible in Paris but taxi drivers say a major deregulation would jeopardise the overall quality of their service. 

"We need to continue to keep very close tabs on the qualification of drivers, the respect of tariffs, the good condition and cleanliness of vehicles," the FUT-SP union said in a statement. 

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iRG2vdNxJzlSl7DHVN645Qbm917Q

Malaysian lawyers defy police in rare protest march
6 days ago

PUTRAJAYA (AFP) - Two thousand Malaysian lawyers defied police Wednesday to stage a rare protest demanding a probe into allegations that a lawyer fixed judicial appointments with a senior judge.

Supporters, including members of opposition political parties the Democratic Action Party and Keadilan, swelled the crowd by another 200, witnesses said, as the lawyers led the march in the administrative capital of Putrajaya.

The police presence was heavy as the march began from the Palace of Justice, housing Malaysia's highest court, to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's office.

Malaysia's Bar Council handed over a memorandum demanding a royal commission of inquiry into a video clip released a week ago by former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim.

The recording purportedly shows a well-connected lawyer telling a judge over the telephone that he would push his name forward for a senior appointment.

The protest went ahead despite the government's announcement Tuesday that a special independent panel had been set up to investigate the authenticity of the video recording.

Protesters chanted "We want justice" as they marched while holding placards stating "Judiciary has gone to the dogs" and "Judiciary has gone to the drain."

Bar Council president Ambiga Sreenevasan said of the inquiry: "It can only be the first step. They can't force the presentation of witnesses or documents. The royal commission is a better option."

She described the heavy security, which included anti-riot police and a police helicopter, as "an act of intimidation."

Ambiga said the council also submitted a separate memorandum urging the government to establish an independent commission for the appointment of judges.

"We call for an independent judiciary and more transparency in the appointment of judges. We are also asking for a meeting with the prime minister," she said.

"What are we walking for? We are walking for justice. We are walking because we want judicial reforms," Ambiga said as heavy rain fell during the five-hour-long protest.

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Wednesday October 03 2007 10:21:29 AM BDT

Left parties demand end to diplomats' meddling

They also termed setting up of IMF office in the Bangladesh Bank 
building as unacceptable and a threat to national interest

Different leftist parties, organisations and eminent personalities 
Tuesday urged foreign diplomats to refrain from interfering in 
Bangladesh''s election and politics, reports UNB.

They also termed setting up of IMF office in the Bangladesh Bank 
building as unacceptable and a threat to national interest and 
demanded its shifting from the BB building.

Presided over by Jatiya Mukti Council President Badruddin Omar, the 
meeting was adddressed, among others, by Manzurul Ahsan Khan and 
Mujahidul Islam Selim of CPB, Bimal Biswas and Haider Akbar Khan Rono 
of Workers Party, Khalequzzaman and Bazlur Rashid Firoz of BSD, Tipu 
Biswas of Jatiya Gano Front and Abu Hamed Shahabuddin of Bangladesh 
Samyabadi Dal.

The meeting, held at the city''s Green Road, also demanded lifting of 
state of emergency and release of teachers and students, who were 
arrested in connection with August 20-22 campus violence across the 
country.

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I N D O L E F T - News service > >
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Protesters say new public order bylaw 'makes no 
sense'

Detik.com - September 24, 2007

Ramadhian Fadillah, Jakarta -- Opposition to Draft 
Bylaw No. 8/2007 on Public Order established by the 
Jakarta provincial government is continuing. Around 
200 buskers, beggars, transsexuals, street peddlers 
and 3 in 1 jockeys descended upon the Department of 
Home Affairs building on Monday September 24.

Led by the Urban Poor Consortium (UPC), they were 
calling on the department to reevaluate the bylaw. 
Wearing red head bands with the writing "Reject 
Bylaw No. 8/2007", they gave speeches and sang 
songs.

"We demand that the Department of Home Affairs not 
approve Bylaw 8/2007", said action coordinator Edi 
Saidi from UPC during a break in the action on Jl. 
Medan Merdeka Utara in Central Jakarta. Saidi said 
that workers in the informal sector will suffer a 
huge financial loss with this regulation. Never mind 
that it makes no sense.

"How can those using the services of or buying from 
a street peddler be subject to a jail sentence, it 
doesn't make sense. Conceivably a fine of 5-20 
million rupiah, then six months jail. This doesn't 
makes sense. Furthermore we feel as if all avenues 
will be closed off [to us]", said Saidi.

Saidi promised that they would continued to hold 
demonstrations until the Department of Home Affairs 
agrees not to approve the law. The demonstration 
that began at 10.30am ended at around 12.20pm.

Representatives of the protesters were also able to 
meet with the secretary general of the Home Affairs 
Department. The department promised it would study 
the bylaw taking into consideration the concerns of 
informal workers who work on the streets. (umi/nrl)

[Translated by James Balowski]

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BOTSWANA: Charges against some Bushmen hunters dropped, but water ban remains
Twenty-one Botswana Bushmen arrested in June and July for hunting to 
feed their families have had the charges against them dropped. 
However, six others still face charges, and the government refuses to 
let Bushmen who have gone back to their land use their water borehole.
http://www.survival-international.org/news/2498
http://www.survival-international.org/news/2497
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