SATPAL RAM IS FREE
After a 15 year stint and a long and well publicised campaign, Satpal has been released from jail but not cleared of the 1986 murder conviction. He defended himself against racist attack and was seriously mistreated by the court. He will continue fighting to have his name cleared.

THE BEAT OF RESISTANCE CONTINUES
The sound of resistance has filled the streets of Seville, as Spain hosted the EU summit of 20-21 June. The main theme of the conference was toughening immigration laws and moving further towards a fortress Europe. Two days of action were directed against this and the general capitalist-military policies of European governments. A huge police operation tried to intimidate protesters, but the turnout was high and many workshops, debates and individual actions took place, showing the strength of the anti-capitalist movement and showing solidarity with immigrants. Trade Unions across Spain called for a general strike on the 20th to resist their governments plans to dismantle workers rights and remove crucial social provisions. One union estimated a 'stoppage of up to 85%' and the threat to government was real enough to provoke violent police attacks.

COUP IN THE SOUP
With increasing US intervention in South and Central America it seems like the bad days of the eighties have returned. Venezuala's president, Hugo Chavez is the latest victim; he was ousted in a coup, by a militatry backed by businessmen sympathetic to the US and free trade policies. Pro-Chavez protestors and soldiers mobilised and within hours the coup was called off, but not before a number of people, mostly Chavez supporters had died in confrontations. The president has made himself an enemy of the US and large business interests by introducing mininum social reforms and resisting new trade policies, selling oil to cuba and denouncing the US war in Afghanistan. Don't expect to find out much in the main papers, but try www.indymedia.org or watch this space.

ARGENTINA - POLITICS PEOPLE STYLE
The Argentine Neighbourhood Assemblies were born six months ago after the collapse of the countries economy. These self organised groups are still providing a means of survival for ordinary people and they are actively challenging government policies which are taking away peoples incomes and self sufficiency. Money-free trading systems are still operating where money is no longer worth anything and 'interbarriales' are allowing local groups to come together and make collective decisions. Some hospitals and factories are being run by workers and direct action is continuing against 'free trade' policies of the government and the International Monetary Fund, although people are suffering death threats and violent attacks from the state. An assembly member speaks about a family event/festival that was recently organised; 'La Trama'; '…a collective miracle that speaks of how in the neighbourhood assembly we have managed to overcome internal differences in an activity that was real and open to everyone…I see no remedy that is more healing than the collective action of the people, whether it be a roadblock, an assembly or this indefinable collective creation of La Trama.'

COCA KILLERS
Indian villagers are feeling the effects of living next door to a Coca-Cola bottling factory. It was set up three years back at Plachimada, Kerala State and has been using up and polluting the ground water ever since. Wells are running dry, drinking water is being contaminated and farmers are struggling. A picket at the factory lasted 49 days until it was broken up by the police. According to Dr. S. Janakarajan; 'The same has happened in other places where industries have privatised common groundwater resources or polluted them… In this race, those who have the resources are the winners; the poor are the losers." With such unsustainable methods, Coca-Cola may be losers too; it is now having truck in large amounts of water to replace dwindling supplies.

COKED OUT OF THEIR HEADS
Coca -Cola is believed to be behind the attempted kidnapping of the 4 year old Daughter of a union organizer William Mendoza. Two men attempted to snatch his daughter while she was out shopping with his wife, but the snatching was foiled. Mendoza who is president of a local union SINALTRAINAL in Colombia who are in labour conflict with Santander Bottling - Coca Cola [Embotelladora de Santander S.A. - Coca Cola] has had a number of threats against his well being including death threats - since the dispute began. He has since requested protection from the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights of the Organisation of American States. Mendoza is calling on social and human rights organisations to offer their support and put pressure on the USA and their funded war on the people of Colombia.

WAS THE DIRTY BOMB SCARE MADE UP?
Abdullah Al Mujahir was recently arrested in the States for plotting to explode a radioactive bomb and being a member of Al-Quaida. With civil liberties disappearing he can be held indefinitely, yet no bomb and no real evidence has emerged. One intelligence official claimed that he merely surfed the internet for information on the bomb. This could be an attempt by the authorities to justify new laws which are bringing the States closer to a totalitarian system. The Department of Homeland Defence will bring together 22 agencies under the control of a few government people, creating the conditions for a police state and large scale surveillance and repression of the American people. As George W. Bush was reported saying in 2000, "If this were a dictatorship, it would be a heck of a lot easier." America's two party system has not seen any real resistance to the plans with top Democrats towing the presidential line. However, protests are taking place in different US cities against the moves. Meanwhile: The FBI has taken the rap for trying to fit up two environmental activists and been ordered to pay $4.4m in damages! Judi Bari and Darryl Cherney were fighting commercial logging in 1990 with the group Earth First. They were nearly killed by a car bomb, but the Oakland police and the FBI claimed that they'd been carrying the bomb while on their speaking tour. After many delays the court found no evidence for the claim and ruled that free speech had been violated.