Welcome to issue 128 of Workers World News. The theme this quarter combines last issue’s theme – Internationalism – with blossoming, creative and imaginative ways to strengthen, deepen, contextualise, decolonise and feminise, horizontal, inclusive, dynamic and evolving participatory democracy, as compared to the internationally failing representative democracy which has stolen the voices, and lives of the popular class.
On page 1, Dale McKinley continues with his series on the South African elections, and covers the so-called Government of National Unity (GNU), where there only seems to be a unity and strengthening of the rich and right wing while the divisions in the left persist effecting organising and mobilising on a grassroots level, 30 years after the fall of Apartheid. The mural is about showing up for the community, rallying together, combining efforts towards mutual aid, hope and community care. This image honours the community organisers at the forefront of movements throughout the history of the City of Philadelphia, US.
For our popular poster, artist Anastasya Eliseeva created an artwork that reads: “THE WORLD IS THIRSTY FOR THE FREEDOM YOU HOLD”, where the image aligns showing hands united, rooted in the people’s power to sustain an equitable, free and peaceful world. It is certainly the time to organise and mobilise the working class and women, and it is only together that we are stronger, planted with love and solidarity, as depicted with the hands together.
Gender news outlines the non-disclosed direct action that was organised by a group of activists in Johannesburg, outside the Iranian Embassy, in solidarity with the international call to stop the execution of 2 women comrades in Iran, noted for its death penalty enforced for even trivial crimes but mostly crimes against women and a chokingly high execution rate. This was part of the NO TO EXECUTION.YES TO FREE LIFE International Campaign.
In our essential Educational Series, Shawn Hattingh explains why Politicians Are Not Needed and continues with the seeds that formed the roots of the successful organising and defence strategy of the autonomous community of Cheran, Mexico – free from corrupt politicians, gangs and police, to blossom into the successful practice of deep democracy, rooted in community participation and a feminist ethos organised around fires while elder women cooked.
An inspiring article follows in International News, by an autonomously run collective from Chile, Movimiento Solidario Vida Digna (Dignified Life Solidarity Movement) produced and agreed upon together, with translations and slight modifications by Jonathan Payne. The graphic depiction of their organising and struggle strategy and structures of their movement, was modified from their original image provided.
In the Southern African Investigation Section is an intriguing story linking two corrupt countries, Eswatini (Swaziland) and the DRC, with two shady characters, that reveals the sordid nature of money, power and corruption for self-serving ends, bullet-proofed from justice. This seems to be the narrative of nation-state democracy in present times- where rampant corruption has eroded every fabric of society, patriarchal capitalist, neo-liberal, individualistic mentalities prevailing as the mental illness of our times, and this is the hierarchical structure of modern day “democracies” from the state down to the family- where the personal is political and democratisation and feminisation must happen everywhere.
From the ILRIG Resource Centre, Anastasya Eliseeva reports on the 2nd Gauteng Platform, outlines and critiques the programme’s activities, presentations and workshops, where a generally successful weekend was expressed and enjoyed by the varied group of activists.
We conclude this issue with our Creative Resistance section, where 2 poems, crossing borders, from Turkiye, Ru Be Ru by Gülkan Noir Siyâhe, about the hypocrisies of war and capitalist egos, then a much loved slam poem by Lara Reddy, finally settled into print from it’s first performance in a classroom in Khayelitsha, Western Cape, South Africa, to it’s 2 final performances in Europe in Sicilia and Istanbul, with the other featured poet.
We hope you enjoy this issue of Workers World News issue 128, but more-so grow from it and please share freely.
For comments to the Editor, letters, articles, or artwork, contact Lara Reddy –
__________________________________________