CINA

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Last Weekend in Lhasa (Tibet):

Last Sunday in Mitrovica (Kosovo):

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The S. Korean workers' movement has a short, but very impressive tradition. One of the most impressive and beautiful (beside the street battles..) events: the annual Solidarity Night, organized by almost all labour unions and (progressive) resistance organisations with the aim to come together with the solidarity groups, celebrating the struggle of the outgoing year and (last but not least) to raise funds for the coming struggle.

Before y'day (3.15) MTU had its Solidarity Night in Seoul. And it was a really great success! Almost in advance the event was supported by at least 40 organisations: labour unions, leftwing political parties, solidarity groups and progressive resistance orgainsations. And finally (at least) hundreds of (mainly Korean) activists celebrated/enjoyed the event!!

Related video pieces:

☞ MTU's Solidarity Night #1

☞ MTU's Solidarity Night #2

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Today, 40 years ago the U.S. Army - on its way to bring "demorcacy and freedom" to Vietnam (respectively to "secure the free world against the communism") comitted the Massacre in My Lai, where roughly 500 unarmed civilians - old people, young women and children - were murdered!!! And "America's Struggle For Freedom" (Der Spiegel, 1967) was supported by all the NATO states (from Canada to Germany) but also by all the other "freedom-loving" countries like Turkey, S. Africa, Indonesia, Taiwan, S. Korea...

The result of the struggle for "Democracy and Freedom" in My Lai:

For more please read Seymour M. Hersh's articles about..

☞ The My Lai Massacre

☞ INTO THE DARK: The My Lai Massacre (by M. Gado)

☞ My Lai Massacre ("education" video)

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Today actually I wanted to bring here another Chinese joke about the "DPR"K but it seems that the "real life" has to offer us enough "jokes".. Just "enjoy"(*) following story in Korea Times' newest edition:

Round of Golf in Pyongyang in Sight
 

South Koreans may be able to play golf in North Korea as early as June, with a travel agency preparing a golf tour package to Pyongyang.

PyeongHwa(**) Air Travel Agency said Thursday that discussion is underway with the North Korean authorities to launch the golf tour in June and a visit to the mass gymnastic show Arirang in August.

``We are discussing the programs with the North and need to get the Unification Ministry's approval,'' Park Se-jin, a director of the agency, said.

The agency was set up in 2003 by the head of Pyeonghwa Motors, a North Korea-based automaker jointly run by businessmen from the two Koreas. It has provided South Korean citizens with exclusive travel programs to Pyongyang ― about 1,000 visitors in September and October in 2003, and 1,200 in October 2005.

The trips were suspended due to flooding in the North and the nuclear crisis.

``We plan to operate a pilot tour in June. So far there have been no golf trips to the North, so we need to try it and polish the tour program. We also plan to include the Arirang performance in the program starting August when the performance begins,'' Park said.

The program is likely to include one-night accommodation, a round of golf, and a trip to downtown Pyongyang, with the Arirang performance being added to the list in August. ``The golf course is 6,890 yards long. Unlike golf trips to China or Southeast Asia, tourists may not be able to play golf there all day long, and so they may want to go sightseeing around the city,'' Park said.

It has yet to fix the price of the package. The agency's previous programs to Pyongyang cost 1.1 million won ($1,120).

The agency has sent letters introducing its trip plan to people who previously visited Pyongyang through the agency, and 3,000 people have already applied for the special tour, Park said.

Charter flights will be used between Seoul's Gimpo Airport to Pyongyang's Sunan Airport. Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, or North Korea's Air Koryo may carry the tourists...

 
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/03/116_20667.html

* Well, I know.. It's not funny, not really!!
** The Pyeonghwa Group is in the ownership of the Unification Church (통일교회), aka the Moon Sect.

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3.11: The bloody attack against the Koscom strike..

STATE TERROR & CENSORSHIP

As I wrote y'day, the new Lee administration promised a policy of "law and order" (in connection with the struggle of the working class)..
But includes this promise also the new kind of freedom of the press?

Not even 24 hour ago the Internet edition of Korea Herald published the article "Raid on Koscom union sit-in may spur spring labor strife". And in my opinion it was a (at least) somewhat objective report about what was happen yesterday morning (the bloody attack against the striking Koscom workers).

But now - surprise, surprise - the content of the article disapeared! Only the headline "Raid on Koscom union sit-in may spur spring labor strife" remained(*).. And instead of the original content of the article we've now to learn that "Police suspect a debt-ridden former pro-baseball player killed his lover and her daughters after taking 170 million won.."

Once again: What a surprise!(??)

BTW.. we should believe Lee MB's promise for a new "law and order" policy! I think that he - definetely - will carry out what he was/is promising!

* Just check out:
-> Korea Herald
-> National
-> Raid on Koscom union sit-in may.. (2008.03.12)

*****

 
Finaly only one S.K. newspaper (published in English) reported about the brutal attack against the Koscom strike - the "left"-liberal Hankyoreh:

☞ District officials forcibly remove union members from demonstration site

☞ Trumping labor with the law

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Well, already before his election as the S.K. president Lee Myung-bak promised a policy of "law and order" in connection with the struggle of the working class..

Today, for the first time since Lee MB is in "power", the ruling class gave an impressive - but not really surprising - example how they want to "solve" problems between the exploited class and expoliting class.

Since 182 days irregular workers of KOSCOM are in strike to achieve better working conditions, payment and - most important - the status of regular contracted workers.

But today in the early morning, despite the labour unions' repeated demand for dialog KOSCOM's leadership decided to use violence to break up the strike. 150 contracted gang members, hired by KOSCOM and supported by at least 600 (!!) riot cops raided the strikers struggle place (opposite of KOSCOM's headquarter in Yeouido/Seoul). Several labour activists were bloody beaten up and the strike tents complete destoyed...

More about today's bloody attack:

☞ 코스콤 농성장, 새벽 6시 강제 철거 (VoP)

☞ 누가 철거의 대상입니까! (참세상TV)

☞ 코스콤 비정규직 노조 농성장 강제철거 (OhmyTV)

Related articles:

☞ “..Koscom union’s joint rally swept Yoido area all day” (global union, 2.11)

☞ 2008: "Law and Order" Against Labour Rights (1.07)

For more about the struggle:

☞ 전국 사무 금융 노동 조합 연맹

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Last Saturday on the occesion of the  Int'l Women's Day  hundreds(*) of female activists, mainly members of different labour unions(organized in the KCTU), progressive civic groups and resistance organisations gathered in the center of the S.Korean capital Seoul to protest against the - still - terrible conditions for a majority of female workers.

And - of course - MTU activists joined actively the event!!

☞ [3.8] Int'l Women's Day (MTU, 3.10)

☞ [3월 8일] 국제 여성의 날.. (다함께)

☞ Gender Equality Still Has Far to Go in Korea (K. Times, 3.07)

* That's (unfortunately) not a lot of people, compared to the huge number - likely some millions - of affected female workers..

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..in Rio de Janeiro/Favela do Jacarezinho (Brazil):

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