October 2006

Lessons from beating the water charges in the 1990s

Date:

This text looks at the successful fight against water charges in Dublin a decade ago (the author was Secretary of the Federation of Dublin Anti Water Charge Campaigns) and asks what lessons campaigners preparing to fight water charges in the North can take from that campaign. (Image: The strength of the campaign: working people)

Dublin booklaunch- new ak title by Irish anarchist

Date:

literary soiree-politics, adventure and laughs

Privatisation – the rip-off of public resources

Date:

Throughout the world, public services have been under attack for the past twenty years. Forming a central plank of the capitalist globalisation agenda, ‘privatisation’ and ‘competition’ are the seemingly unchallenged dogma of modern capitalism. The levels of privatisation which have taken place worldwide are absolutely mindblowing. During the 1990s alone over $900 billion worth of public assets were transferred into private hands. Globally this agenda is pushed by the World Bank and the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The basic theory by which these bodies operate is that all decisions should be made on the basis of profitability alone.

Report of Anarchism Not Chaos mini-festival in Derry, Ireland

Date:

Saturday 30th of September saw Derry's Dunlgoe bar play host to a day of anarchist talks, films and music hosted by the Workers Solidarity Movement. The event which was organised by a local Derry WSM member saw people from Dublin, Switzerland, Copenhagen and Belfast as well as locals gather to discuss anarchist ideas.

The Importance of the Spanish Revolution

Date:

Today a social revolution that took place seventy years ago is remembered by libertarian socialists as an example of how our ideas can work. The Spanish revolution came closer to realising the possibilities of a free stateless society on a huge scale than any other revolution in history. (Image: Anarchist Milita woman during the revolution) 

Review: Clandestines: the pirate journals of an Irish Exile'

Date:

At this point in time it is a rare and welcome event when a book by an Irish activist is published and rarer still when a book by an Irish anti-capitalist writer receives widespread praise and acclaim. Clandestines: the Pirate journals of an Irish Exile, which has received a slew of positive reviews following it?s publication in the US by AK Press, is just such a rarity, and as it is being launched in Ireland this week means readers here will soon be able to make their own appraisal of the book.

After the Israeli - Lebanon war: The New Middle East

Date:

Marwa is a ten year old refugee from the village of Marwaheen in the south of Lebanon. Following an Israeli ultimatum Marwa’s family decided to flee. While driving away from the village the Israeli military fired on the pick up truck they were travelling in. Marwa recalls “The wind carried me far away, I woke up on the nearby rocks. Next to me, Mama and Mirna were sleeping. I went to them to wake them up but the plane saw me and came towards me so I ran away. My brother Wissam was hit in his leg and he could not reach me, he was hiding behind a rock and when the ambulance came he was waving to them to stop. Mirna was sleeping the whole time”. Marwa was sent to hospital for treatment for her burns and wounds. Her sister Mirna, 12, her brother Hadi, 5, and her mother Zahra, 51, were all killed (1)

Kill The Immigration Bill

Date:

On 17th of October Residents Against Racism are holding a public meeting to discuss and plan a way to campaign against the forthcoming racist immigration bill.

Anarchist Reading Group Explores Theory, Movement and Practice.

Date:

In the first of what will hopefully become a fortnightly anarchist reading group, we have decided to look at three short texts exploring the relationship between activism and theory. A discussion of the interaction between radical theory and movement practice seems like a rather obvious starting point to kickstart an anarchist reading group. All of the chosen articles are available free online and are short and snappy. The longest is a transcription of a round table discussion that flits and darts in conversational style over areas our own discussion might cover.

Spinning Democracy - Rossport and elsewhere

Date:

The Irish government’s explicit support for Shell’s proposed development in Rossport, against the demands and wishes of a large proportion of the locally affected community, exemplifies not only the highly organised and funded public relation strategy that Shell and its partners have used. It also highlights the massive democratic deficit in this country. In a broader sense corporate Public Relations, and it’s close links to government, is perhaps one of the most potent factors in curtailing meaningful democracy.

Interview about the launch of anarcha-feminist magazine RAG

Date:

Short (1.5 min) interview with a WSM member involved in the Dublin based Revolutionary Anarcho-Feminist Group who have just launched a magazine with some photos of the Dublin launch.

From the Berlin Blacbloc to Zapatista Zones: A Reading by Ramor Ryan

Date:

Ramor will be reading from the chapter on the funeral of the Gibraltar 3 in Belfast.

National solidarity protest in Rossport

Date:

There is to be a national day of action in solidarity with Rossport Friday 20 october which includes a mobilisation for Rossport itself.

Dublin meeting: The Struggle in Frnace: From the banlieu riots to the CPE

Date:

Over the last year France has seen levels of social struggle unknown
for many years. Going from the banlieu riots of November to the
millions of students in spring struggling against and preventing the
introduction of reactionary labour laws, France has been in flames.

October 2006 National day of action in Rossport audio report

Date:

Interview about National Day of Action in Rossport which saw repeated attempts to blockade the road to the refinery and Gardai (police) attacks on those doing the blockading. "The struggle against Shell's attempt to impose a dangerous gas pipeline on a local community in Rossport (in the West of Ireland) continued today with a national mobilisation, called for by the locals, where people travelled from around the country to go down and support them. "

Residents Against Racism Table Quiz

Date:

Teachers Club, 17th Nov

Upcoming Anti-War Events

Date:

Anti-War Ireland, in which WSM members in Dublin and Cork are participating, are holding a series of talks and demonstrations over the next week. There are three all former US army interrogators at Abu Ghraib and members now of Iraq Veterans Against the War, Joshua Casteel, Stephen Lewis and Tony Lagouranis who willing be speaking around the country over the coming week.

WSM Social and RNB Revolution Launch

Date:

Friday November 3rd from 8pm on..



WSM monthly social and the launch of "Red & Black Revolution" issue 11.



A night of Anarchist socialising with free food and live trad music in..



Seomra Spraoi,

6 lower Ormond Quay,

Dublin 1.



2 euro/donation.

WSM social in Dublin Friday 3rd Nov.

Date:

Red and Black 11 to be launched