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Global Left Midweek - October 6, 2021

Long takes on Iran and Haiti, and the drive for popular democracy in Africa

“This result is indeed more than surprising,” said Elke Kahr, Communist lead candidate in the city of Graz, Austria. Credit,EPA-EFE/ Georg Hochmutz
  1. A Big Win For Communists in Austria’s Second City
  2. Iran: Oil Workers Organizing
  3. The Long Haitian Revolution
  4. Afghan Leftist Speaks
  5. The Demand in Africa: Democracy
  6. Murder of a Rohingya Leader
  7. Quebec: Thousands Demand Climate Action
  8. Writing and Fighting: Monique Ilboudo of Burkina Faso
  9. Let Us Now Praise Famous Revolutionaries
  10. Comments on the UN Food Summit

 

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A Big Win For Communists in Austria’s Second City

Walter Müller and Elisa Tomaselli / Der Standard (Vienna)

The second largest city in Austria could soon have a communist mayor. But Elke Kahr’s electoral success was preceded by years of hard work.

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Iran: Oil Workers Organizing

Mohammad Ali Kadivar, Peyman Jafari, Mehdi Hoseini, and Saber Khani / MERIP (Chicago)

Groups that have announced their support for the demands of the striking workers include steel workers in Ahvaz, the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company, the Council of Retirees, the Syndicate of Haft-Tappeh Sugarcane Workers, the association of teachers from Eslam-Shahr and Tehran, and different political opposition groups. 

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The Long Haitian Revolution

Pierre Labossiere, Margaret Prescod and Camila Valle / Monthly Review (New York)

France, Britain, Spain, later the emerging nation of the United States, put in power people and governments that would become enemies of the mass Haitian population, establishing the old colonial system of exploitation of the majority. The people of Haiti have continuously struggled against this colonial view and system of exploitation. We are seeing a continuation of this today.

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Afghan Leftist Speaks

Marcel Cartier and Selay Ghaffar / Green Left (Sydney)

As spokesperson for the leftist Solidarity Party of Afghanistan, Selay Ghaffar was well placed to help provide some clarity on the rapid advance of the Taliban through the country, as well as how the Afghan left was orienting itself against both reaction and imperialism.

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The Demand in Africa: Democracy

No More Strongmen  Nic Cheeseman and Sishuwa Sishuwa / The Conversation (Waltham MA)

Sudan  Noha Elhennawy and Ashraf Idris / AP (New York)

Tunisia  Tarek Amara / Reuters (London)

Kenya  Muna Ahmed / The Elephant (Nairobi)

Swaziland  Pariesa Young / France 24 (Paris)

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Murder of a Rohingya Leader

Al Jazeera (Doha)

Mohibullah, who was in his late 40s and had eight children, was killed by unknown gunmen. He led one of the largest community groups to emerge since more than 730,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar after a military crackdown against the Muslim-majority minority in August 2017.

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Quebec: Thousands Demand Climate Action

Marc Bonhomme / Socialist Project (Toronto)

More than 110,000 students in Quebec went on strike September 24, according to the Coalition étudiante pour un virage environnemental et social (CEVES – Student coalition for environmental and social transition), the Quebec organizer of the demonstrations together with the Innu collective Mashk Assi, Solidarité sans frontières and Pour le futur Montréal.

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Writing and Fighting: 
Monique Ilboudo of Burkina Faso

Mar Pozuelo Castillo / Equal Times (Brussels)

African women are different from one part of the continent to another, from one environment to another. They are fighting for more freedom and equality like so many other women around the world. This fight for full civil rights and against violence is central to their dignity. 

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Let Us Now Praise Famous Revolutionaries

Rosa Luxemburg For Today  Lea Ypi / Jacobin (New York)

Global Lenin  Adam Mayer / Review of African Political Economy (London)

Amílcar Cabral and Paulo Freire  Curry Malott / New Frame (Johannesburg)

Do You Remember Claudia Jones?  Lola Olufemi / Roar (Amsterdam)

Eric Hobsbawm, History Maker  Anjan Basu / The Wire (New Delhi)

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Comments on the UN Food Summit

Corporate Capture of Food Governance  Focus on the Global South / Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung (Berlin)

New Agri Model for the Global South  Jayati Ghosh / Social Europe (Berlin)

Challenge from Social Movements and Scientists  / Food Tank (Baltimore)