(2021-06-09). Headlines for June 9, 2021. democracynow.org VP Harris Meets with Mexico's AMLO, Faces Backlash for Not Visiting U.S. Southern Border, Over 2,000 Migrant Children Might Still Be Separated from Families, Activists Call on Thomson Reuters to Cut Ties with ICE, Biden Ends Weeks-Long Talks on Infrastructure as New Bipartisan Groups Aim to Reach Compromise, Manchin Remains Steadfast in Opposition to Voting Rights Bill in Face of Mounting Pressure, "Planned in Plain Sight": Senate Report Details Security Failures Ahead of Jan. 6 Insurrection, Vaccination Key to Curbing Spread of Delta COVID Variant; CDC Updates Coronavirus Travel Guidance, International Sting Lea…
(2021-06-09). After decades of oppression, Colombian women lead front lines of National Strike. mronline.org 
"Far too many women are fighting—not only for their rights, but for the rights of all," says Yomali Torres, an Afro-Colombian activist. The 26-year-old joined throngs of women in the streets of Colombia over the past month to demand an end to patriarchal oppression at the hands of a U.S.-backed neoliberal state. | June 9, 2021…
(2021-06-09). Rights Group: Colombian Police Cause Deaths of 20 Protesters. latinorebels.com BUCARAMANGA, Colombia (AP) — An international monitoring group on Wednesday accused police officers in Colombia of responsibility for the deaths of 20 people and other violent actions against protesters during recent civil unrest, including sexual abuse, beatings and arbitrary detentions.
(2021-06-09). With Little Hope for Change through the Ballot Box, Iranian Civil Society Debates Strategy. juancole.com By Tara Sepehri Far | Iran Researcher | — ( Human Rights Watch) — Twenty days before Iran's presidential election, the Guardian Council, which vets the candidates, sent shock waves through the political elite and public by disqualifying two prominent figures: the former speaker of parliament, Ali Larijani, and the current vice president, Eshagh Jahangiri. …
(2021-06-09). Children among those allegedly terrorised in Nazareth police 'torture room'. thecanary.co Content warning: This piece contains graphic accounts of violence that some may find distressing. |
(2021-06-09). AOC Blasts Manchin for Dark Money Ties, Suggests He's "Intertwined" With Kochs. truthout.org 
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) on Tuesday questioned whether Sen. Joe Manchin's (D-West Virginia) stated reasons for opposing voting rights legislation and filibuster abolition are as straightforward as he claims they are. | Manchin
(2021-06-09). Mass ICE Detention is Unnecessary — and We Have Proof. aclu.org The cruelty of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency was on full display this past year. The agency refused to take vital measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 in its detention centers, even in the face of its Detained immigrants — compelled by the specter of illness and death in ICE's jails — brought ICE to court over the inhuman conditions, with representation from the ACLU and its affiliates th…
(2021-06-09). Resilience, Liberation, and the Interconnectedness of Pride. aclu.org As we enter Pride month, I am reflecting on the interconnectedness of our joy and our struggle. | I am struck by the fact that Pride and Immigrant Heritage month begin just as Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) and Jewish American Heritage Month end. Though Pride should be about our intersectional struggle for freedom, it has not always felt that way. | As I think about all the communities gathering virtually and in-person to celebrate the power and resilience of our queer communities, it's essential to name what our trans, Asian and Pacific Islander, Indigenous, Jewish, Muslim, and Black communities in th…
(2021-06-09). Prelude to War? US/NATO, Egypt, and Ethiopian Sovereignty. libya360.wordpress.com Ann Garrison Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Ethiopian American activist and community organizer Benyam Kitaw tells Ann Garrison that US hostility toward Ethiopia could lead to further sanctions, economic pressure, and perhaps even war. "The primary issue is Ethiopian sovereignty vs. US/NATO military hegemony." Ethiopia is a nation of more than 112 million people, the second…
(2021-06-09). The Anti-Abortion and Anti-Woman Movement Has Been Very Effective. counterpunch.org Ten states are taking federal block grant money intended for programs of social uplift and plowing those funds into anti-abortion groups ("At least 10 states divert federal welfare funding to anti-abortion clinics," Guardian, June 4, 2021). Should those on the left be surprised, and especially those in favor of women's rights and the right of a
(2021-06-09). Illinois voters to decide on worker rights constitutional amendment. peoplesworld.org 
SPRINGFIELD, Ill.—In yet another example of how state elections make—and will make—a practical difference in workers' lives and livelihoods, Illinois voters will decide in November 2022 whether to enshrine the right to collective bargaining and a ban on so-called "right to work" laws, in the state constitution. Votes for that referendum in the General Assembly …
(2021-06-09). Poor People's Campaign to March Against Manchin Obstructionism in West Virginia. truthout.org 
Outraged by Joe Manchin's obstruction of Democratic efforts to protect and expand voting rights and end the Senate filibuster, the faith-led Poor People's Campaign has announced it will lead a Moral Monday demonstration in the West Virginia senator's home state next week. | "It's time to march on his office," Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, co-chair of the Poor People's Campaign,
(2021-06-09). Supreme Court weighs voting rights in a pivotal Arizona case. nationofchange.org The case considers two Arizona laws that place limits on how and when Arizonans can vote.
(2021-06-09). Save Democracy, End the Filibuster. counterpunch.org "We shall overcome." — Pete Seeger, Guy Carawan, 1951 (Anthem of the 1960s civil rights movement, based on a gospel song by Charles Albert Tindley, 1901.) Republicans and Democrats are engaged in a frustratingly bitter tug-of-war over laws that give them the power to set the rules we live by. Liberal Democrats are trying to
(2021-06-09). Venezuela: 'My Concerns About the Special Economic Zones Law'. orinocotribune.com By Pasqualina Curcio — Jun 2, 2021 | It is impossible not to think of maquilas when one hears talk of Special Economic Zones (SEZ). The first thing that comes to mind is cheap labor, violation of labor rights, increased worker exploitation, low or no taxes and exports. This is what characterizes an SEZ according to the World Bank manuals. | Let us ask ourselves the following question: What is it that would make large foreign capitals move so that, instead of investing in their countries, they come to Venezuela or any other nation? Obviously the maximization of their profit. In a capitalist system, given the…
(2021-06-09). Striking educators at Urban Prep Charter Schools victorious. fightbacknews.org Chicago, IL – Teachers and staff at the Urban Prep Academies' three campuses in Chicago won their strike after two days, reaching a tentative labor agreement. The schools serve a predominantly Black community and are all-boys schools, which significantly shaped the demands of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and underscore the importance of this victory. | The teachers won a commitment from management that they would begin to follow special education laws, even after months of rejecting contract language that would secure those same rights. This is a big win for the students. They also won language giving them th…
(2021-06-08). Socialist Teacher Takes Lead in Peruvian Election as Nation Reels from Pandemic & Political Crisis. democracynow.org 
We get an update from Peru, where socialist candidate Pedro Castillo has pulled ahead of his right-wing rival Keiko Fujimori in the country's presidential election on Sunday. Castillo is the son of peasant farmers, and a union leader who led a nationwide teachers' strike in 2017. Fujimori is the daughter of former dictator Alberto Fujimori, who is in prison for human rights abuses and corruption. Political scientist Carlos León Moya discusses the history of the two candidates and describes how the election took place amid a years-long political crisis. "You have most of the Peruvian political elite charged by cor…
(2021-06-08). Socialist Teacher Takes Lead in Peruvian Election. truthout.org 
We get an update from Peru, where socialist candidate Pedro Castillo has pulled ahead of his right-wing rival Keiko Fujimori in the country's presidential election on Sunday. Castillo is the son of peasant farmers, and a union leader who led a nationwide teachers' strike in 2017. Fujimori is the daughter of former dictator Alberto Fujimori, who is in prison for human rights abuses and corruption. Political scientist Carlos León Moya discusses the history of the two candidates and describes how the election took place amid…
(2021-06-08). 91 Colombians Are Still Missing, Ombudsman's Office Warns. telesurenglish.net The Colombian Ombudsman's Office delivered a report to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) showing that 91 people are still missing as a result of the repression unleashed against citizens by the Mobile Anti-Riot Squad (ESMAD) since the protests began on April 28. | RELATED: | Ombudsman Carlos Camargo reported 58 murders of citizens. In 20 of these cases, there is sufficient evidence that the killings occu…
(2021-06-08). IACHR Calls for Resumption of Dialogue in Visit to Colombia. telesurenglish.net An international human rights organization called on the Colombian government and the National Strike Committee to insist on the path of dialogue to overcome the social crisis that the South American country is going through. | The representation of the international organization indicated that the organization has always insisted that any human rights crisis is solved through dialogue. | RELATED: | They also revea…
(2021-06-08). Still 91 Missing in Colombia's Uprising (Desaparecidos). orinocotribune.com Colombians are still looking for 91 people reported missing during the national strike and demonstrations which began on April 28 and have left at least 20 dead, according to a report delivered this Monday by the Ombudsman's Office to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), an organization dependent on the infamous Organization of American States (OAS). Other independent organizations have reported at least 65 deaths in the protests, most of them at the hands of the police. | "The organization has received 783 reports of people who could not been located, of which 317 were discarded… for having r…
(2021-06-08). UN Committee Rules on Detention of Venezuelan Diplomat Saab. telesurenglish.net On Tuesday, the United Nations Human Rights Committee ruled on the illegal detention of the Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab and requested the government of Cabo Verde to suspend his extradition process to the United States. | RELATED: | "Pursuant to rule 94 of the Committee's rules of procedure, the State party has been requested to refrain from extraditing Mr. Alex Nain Saab Moran to the United States of America wh…
(2021-06-08). UN Committee Ruled on Detention of Venezuelan Diplomat Saab. telesurenglish.net On Tuesday, the United Nations Human Rights Committee ruled on the illegal detention of the Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab and requested the government of Cabo Verde to suspend his extradition process to the United States. | RELATED: | "Pursuant to rule 94 of the Committee's rules of procedure, the State party has been requested to refrain from extraditing Mr. Alex Nain Saab Moran to the United States of America wh…
(2021-06-08). US Compels Small African Country to Imprison Venezuelan Diplomat — International Human Rights Delegation Files Habeas Corpus to #FreeAlexSaab. orinocotribune.com June 7, 2021. Praia, Cabo Verde (Special by Roger Harris)— The Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab, imprisoned for trying to buy humanitarian supplies from Iran in legal international trade but in violation of illegal US sanctions, is facing extradition to the US. That is like getting stabbed in the back and then being arrested for carrying a concealed weapon. | US extraterritorial judicial overreach | On June 12, 2020, Saab was on his way from Caracas to Tehran, when his plane had to make a routine fueling stop. While in the air, the pilot was informed that Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia would not allow the plane…
(2021-06-08). A farcical debate on Cuba in European Parliament. en.cubadebate.cu Today, June 8, the European Parliament has scheduled an artificial debate on what they call the political situation and human rights in Cuba. "If the European Parliament decides to discuss Cuba, the debate would necessarily need to refer to the massive, flagrant and systematic violation of the human rights of the entire Cuban population, by the genocidal, immoral and illegal economic, commercial and financial blockade that the United States government has maintained against our country for more than 60 years," reads a statement from the Cuban diplomatic mission in Brussels.
(2021-06-08). Solitary confinement 'torture chambers'. workers.org 
Philadelphia Calling for "solidarity, not solitary," dozens of people — including organizers from prisoners' rights groups, survivors of solitary confinement and state legislators — rallied outside the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia June 1. Inside the Eastern State Penitentiary, support for HB1037, June 2. They called for passage of HB1037, . . . |
(2021-06-08). Why are Nicaragua, Cuba and Venezuela Managing So Well in the Fight Against Covid-19? libya360.wordpress.com Marc Vandepitte It is curious that the three American countries that are suffering harsh economic sanctions from the United States are doing much better than the others in their fight against covid-19. One thing is certain: the pandemic has highlighted the crisis of the neoliberal and capitalist model. Actual number of deaths from covid As…
(2021-06-08). Venezuela's Left Voices Concerns over Government's Special Economic Zone Project. venezuelanalysis.com Weakened labor rights and increased private sector involvement in the economy have fuelled rejection of the bill by many grassroots activists.
(2021-06-08). Over 20,000 Sri Lankan health workers strike, defying government laws. wsws.org The health workers strike points to growing opposition to the Rajapakse government's response to the coronavirus pandemic and its attacks on basic rights.
(2021-06-08). Israel Carries Out Detention Campaign Against Prominent Palestine Activists. popularresistance.org Israeli occupation forces and police carried out a detention campaign against journalists and activists in Sheikh Jarrah over the weekend, Arab48 and agencies reported. | As part of the campaign, occupation forces raided the house of the prominent activist Muna El-Kurd and detained her. They left a detention order for her brother Mohammed and he later handed himself into the detention centre where his sister was being held. | Many other activists were either detained, summoned or beaten by police including Al Jazeera correspondent Givara Budeiri, who was beaten and detained while covering events at Sheikh Jarrah.
(2021-06-08). Native Water Protectors Test Treaty Rights Strategy as Line 3 Fight Escalates. truthout.org 
Anishinaabe Water Protector Winona LaDuke paddles to the edge of Shell River at the grounds of her new pipeline resistance camp at Shell City Campground in Minnesota's Huntersville State Forest. Stepping out of her canoe, she tells me she's happy that I got into the water as I wade, pants rolled to my knees, in a shallow area. She shows me and other recent camp arrivals a clam shell she collected from the riverbed. The shell is strong and thick, she notes. It hasn't gone soft from runoff.
(2021-06-08). Civil Rights Leaders and West Virginia Miners Turn Up the Heat on Joe Manchin. truthout.org 
As Manchin's next week or two won't be the building falling,…
(2021-06-08). Q&A: Filmmaker Ramiro Sebastián Fúnez on "Nicaragua Against Empire" & Getting the story right. mronline.org 
The delegation I was on was called, "No to Sanctions in Nicaragua." The ATC is Nicaragua's oldest and strongest peasant workers union that played a central role in the Sandinista Revolution and was the organization that facilitated the land redistribution of over 4 million acres to peasants from the landlords, owned by the Somoza family […] | June 8, 2021…
(2021-06-08). US Sanctions Cost Iran Its Vote in UN Assembly. globalresearch.ca The UN said …
(2021-06-08). Learning to Feel Collectively. indybay.org The starting point of the upheavals are the anti-colonial movements that have been spreading across the globe since the end of World War II. With the Black Civil Rights Movement, they penetrate into the heart of the capitalist world system starting in the mid-1950s, where they politicize liberal students* and the existentialist beat culture of the bohemians.
(2021-06-08). Joe Manchin Cares More About 'Bipartisanship' Than Fighting Jim Crow. thenation.com Joe Manchin Cares More About 'Bipartisanship' Than Fighting Jim Crow…
(2021-06-08). The time to secure voting rights is now or never. nationofchange.org Unless the Democrats can rally to push through legislation that protects the right to vote now and into the future, elections may cease to matter entirely.
(2021-06-08). Chile: the End of Neoliberalism and the Start of a New Chapter in Its History. counterpunch.org The May 15th and 16th elections in Chile, which encompassed concurrently the vote for the 155 delegates to the Constituent Assembly as well as the vote for municipal officials and regional governors, has exposed the dismal failure of the government and rightwing parties while sanctioning the triumph of the independent candidates. Results also showed the
(2021-06-08). Even The New York Times Now Admits That It's US Sanctions, Not Socialism, That's Destroying Venezuela. counterpunch.org The facile right-wing talking point that the economic crisis facing Venezuela "proves" that "socialism always ends in failure" has become so hackneyed by overuse that it has attained its own tongue-in-cheek name. The ad Venezuelum, as it has come to be known, has slowly developed into such a tedious and predictable right-wing tactic that it seems to now serve as an all-purpose retort to try to discredit even the most modest of left-of-center proposals. In October 2018, for instance, then-President Trump responded to a plan by progressive Democrats in congress to introduce a bill to establish a system of universal…