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Global Left Midweek - April 8, 2020

On the agenda: new internationalism, and ending the war with nature. News and analysis from and about the left worldwide.

A contingent of Cuban doctors arrive at Milan’s Malpensa airport to assist in the battle against COVID-19,credit: Reuters
  1. We Should All Be Cuba
  2. For a Feminist Covid-19 Policy
  3. Latin American Peoples’ Call
  4. South African Shack Dwellers
  5. Unions Respond
  6. Workers Striking Back
  7. End the War with Nature
  8. News Reports
  9. US War Ships Threaten Venezuela
  10. Legacies

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We Should All Be Cuba

Subhash Gatade / NewsClick (New Delhi)

The pandemic has exposed wealthy states’ neglect of healthcare. A new medical internationalism is needed.

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For a Feminist Covid-19 Policy

Feminist Alliance for Rights (New Brunswick NJ)

This statement was endorsed by nearly 1300 individuals and women’s networks and organizations globally, from more than 100 countries, to demand States to adopt a feminist policy to address the COVID-19 pandemic in a manner consistent with human rights standards and principles. 

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Latin American Peoples’ Call

Committee for the Abolition of Illegitimate Debt (Liège, Belgium)

We are organizations representing the people, workers, peasants, indigenous peoples, feminists, Afro-descendants, piqueteras/ros and neighbours. All are putting their bodies, heads and hearts to work out immediate responses, and to project a way out of this crisis towards a better society.

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South African Shack Dwellers

Abahlali baseMjondolo (Durban)

We are calling for all South Africans to be united in the fight against this pandemic. However, this can only be done when the poor and the working class are also considered and included when decisions are made and strategies for the way forward developed.

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Unions Organize for a Post-Pandemic World

Bryan Carter / Equal Times (Brussels)

Workers’ representatives at local, national, sectoral and international levels are already preparing for a full-blown economic crisis. 

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Workers Striking Back

Eddie Conlon / Rebel (Dublin)

Recent worker resistance to the wanton disregard of their health and lives by employers is widespread, often spontaneous and organised from below.

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End the War with Nature

Vishwas Satgar / Daily Maverick (Johannesburg)

With the coronavirus, we are really trying to mitigate the revenge blow from nature. It’s a moment to be humble and realise our finitude in a wondrous and infinite natural order. 

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News Reports

Morocco  Peoples Dispatch (New Delhi)

India  Ziya Us Salam / Frontline (Mumbai)

Philippines  Susan Price / Green Left (Sydney)

Venezuela  Cira Pascual Marquina / Venezuelanalisis (Caracas)

Australia  Tim Kennedy / Jacobin (New York)

Tunisia  Peoples Dispatch

Israel/Gaza  Yaara Benger Alaluf, Hadas Pe'ery, Adi Golan Bikhnafo and Guy Shalev / +972 (Tel Aviv)

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US Threatens Venezuela

Leonardo Flores / Common Dreams (Portland ME)

Venezuela has a substantial population that will resist any invasion or coup. 

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Legacies

Mel Watkins (Canada, 1932-2020)  Andrew Jackson / Canadian Dimension (Winnipeg)

Martin Khor (Malaysia, 1951-2020)  Jomo Kwame Sundaram / Inter Press Service (New York)

Helin Bölek (Turkey, 1992-2020)  S Gopalakrishnan / The Indian Express (Noida, India)