Archive for category in English
“Fighting For Ourselves ” – lots to learn, a few things to criticize
Posted by ravotrpeter in Anarchisme, Boekrecensie, in English on 2013/01/02
Wednesday 2 January 2013
This review of “Fighting For Ourselves” was first posted as a blog piece on Libcom.org.
“Fighting For Ourselves”, a new book by which SolFed explains it s view on anarchosyndicalism, deserves to be widely read. In what follows, I try to review the book, both highlighting its strengths and pointing to a few problems I encountered on the way. Read the rest of this entry »
World Cup Qatar: festivities built on slavery.
Posted by ravotrpeter in in English, Qatar on 2012/11/16
vrijdag 16 november 2012
My latest piece I wrote for Freedom magazine, published in the October issue. On migrant workers’ conditions in Qatar, where the World Cup of 2022 is supposed to be held. Basically the original version, but with a few small corrections.
One of the Arab countries apparently almost untouched by the Arab Spring is Qatar. The tide of protest and revolt more or less passed this Emirate by. The main news channel spreading attention to these events, Aljazeera, is Qatari-based and regime-owned, which does not help to raise attention to what happens there. But even without willful media neglect, not much news would come out of there – because nothing much spectacular is happening there. Read the rest of this entry »
European-wide general strike November 14 – how real? how relevant?
Posted by ravotrpeter in Griekenland, Groot-Brittannië, in English, Portugal, Spanje on 2012/10/22
Monday, 20 October, 2012
In at least four countries, there will be a general strike on November 14. There are calls to turn it into a European general strike. What to make of the idea, how to operate most fruitfully in connection to these and similar initiatives, is the subject of this article (written for my Libcom blog)
November 14 will – at the very least – see strike action against austerity in four European countries: Spain, Portugal, Greece and Cyprus. (1) There is the potential of much, much more, and people from very diverse backgrounds are working in the direction of en Europe-wide general strike on that day. Does it make sense? How can we contribute in such ways that N14 – as the date is beginning to be called – can become much more than yet another mostly symbolic action such as we have been seeing many times already? Read the rest of this entry »
Massacre at Marikana: the fight continues in South Africa (Freedom article)
Posted by ravotrpeter in in English, Zuid-Afrika on 2012/10/08
Monday 8 October 2012
With great pride: my first, and hopefully not the last, article I wrote for the anarchist magazine Freedom. Already on my Libcom blog.
Mineworkers of the Marikana diamond mine in South Africa are continuing their strike. Their perseverence comes after violent police efforts to suppress the strike, efforts culminating in a horrendous bloodbath on 16 August, when police machinegunned protesting miners, killing 34 and arresting at least 250 of them.
Note: this is the article I wrote for the September issue of Freedom; of course , it’s best to buy the issue itself. Here, I publish the version I sent in, with footnotes that did not make it into the printed version. Ofcourse, the article is dated because so much has happened since. Read the rest of this entry »
Quebec – important victory, however partial it may be
Posted by ravotrpeter in Canada, in English on 2012/09/27
Thursday 27 September 2012
Written for my Libcom blog.
In Quebec, Canada, an impressive student struggle, connected to protests against attacks on civil liberties has ended in a partial, but bnevertheles impiortant, victory. There is reason to learn lessons, but also tyo chelebrate and to be inspired. Let’s shout it from the rooftops, as a sign of more to come. Read the rest of this entry »
From Greece, coming to a place near you…?
Posted by ravotrpeter in Griekenland, in English on 2012/09/16
zondag 16 september 2012
Onderstaand artikel schreef ik voor mijn blog op Libcom.org, waar het al staat.
Sometimes one reads a piece of news that should set the alarm bells of working class militants, anarchists, communists ringing loud and clear – should, but somehow doesn’t. That strange mismatch between alarming news and an almost total lack of outrage struck me after I read reports that creditor insitutions involved in the Greek bailout/ imposed austerity programme want to impose a hugely longer working hours a s a precondition for another bailout. Read the rest of this entry »
Talking ’bout a revolution?
Posted by ravotrpeter in 'Arabische Lente', in English, Syrië on 2012/08/16
16 augustus 2012
Geschreven voor mijn blog op Libcom.org, waar het al staat
The Syrian events are a challenge for both left wing party people and revolutionaries. Part of the confusion, however, is related to matters of definition, choice of words and what they mean. One such word is ‘revolution’. Does it apply? And if so, what does that mean? Read the rest of this entry »
Syria, imperialism and the Left (3)
Posted by ravotrpeter in 'Arabische Lente', in English, Syrië on 2012/08/13
Derde deel van mijn serie over Syrië, al geplaatst op Libcom.
There is a third position on the Syrian events: opposition to Assad and to Western interference. This position also is unsatisfactory in its way to positive account of the revolt. Third and final part on this series. Read the rest of this entry »
Syria, imperialism and the left (2)
Posted by ravotrpeter in 'Arabische Lente', in English, Syrië on 2012/08/11
zaterdag 11 augustus 2012
Deel twee van mijn Syrië-drieluik, eerder verschenen op Libcom.org.
Some people on the moderate but also the Trotskyist-influenced left defend not only the Syrian revolt, but also, sadly, find Western intervention against Assad quite acceptable. Second part of a three-part series. Read the rest of this entry »
Syria, imperialism and the left (part 1)
Posted by ravotrpeter in 'Arabische Lente', in English, Syrië on 2012/08/10
vrijdag 10 augustus 2012
Sinds kort doe ik, op eigen verzoek, een blog op Libcom.org , iets waar ik best trots op ben want het is een favoriete site van me. Inmiddels heb ik daar een drieluik geplaatst over Syrië. Hieronder deel één, op 8 augustus daar al verschenen.
A debate is taking place in left wing and radical circles about the Syrian revolt, what side to take, what to think about Western intervention against the Assad regime. Part one of a three-part series. Read the rest of this entry »