MORE LIKE 50,000 WERE THERE TO PROTEST AGAINST THE TPPA

This Malay Mail reporter who wrote the article down below must either have been in the wrong place to be able to give the impression that the turnout at the protest against Malaysia signing the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) was so small.

I arrived at Masjid Jamek LRT station at about 4pm and came across this small black shirted lot which had broken away from the main rally who were at the junction of Jalan Tun Perak and Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman at 4.04pm

I noticed some Parti Sosialis Malaysia and PKR members and supporters amongst this group, along with what looked like some HIV-positive activists who object to the TPPA because it will potentially force them to have to pay for branded medicines, which is a valid objection.

I then walked on to Padang Merbok, where I came across the main body of the rally at around 4.21pm and it looked more like 50,000.

I

I guess this drone which flew over will give us a better estimate of the numbers present.

Of course, most of the people at the main body of the rally were PAS (Pan Malaysian Islamic Party) members or supporters but they welcomed anyone who opposed the U.S. imperialist TPPA irrespective of ethnicity, party-affiliation, ideology or religion and we must fight this together to have a chance to stop Malaysia signing the TPPA and literally sell Malaysia to plunder by U.S. imperialist interests.

By being sectarian, the small black shirted  group broke away from the masses and lost whatever opportunity to exert their influence amongst the masses, many of who are Malaysian ordinary workers, farmers and petty traders.

Anyway, I'm glad I avoided the Soros and/or National Endowment for Democracy (NED) financed NGO-types.

Also, this goes to show that you cannot believe everything you read in the media, such as misleading impression on numbers given by the article which follows below.

Malay Mail article follows below.

La Lutte Finale

C’est la lutte finale
Groupons-nous et demain
L’Internationale
Sera le genre humain.

Anti-TPP rally reveals bad blood between Amanah and PAS

BY MAYURI MEI LIN

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 23 — PAS and splinter group Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) avoided each other in a show of lingering enmity at the rally against the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement here today.

In the “Bantah TPPA” demonstration against the Pacific trade treaty that saw an estimated 4,000 protesters, PAS supporters began marching from Sogo Mall and settled at Padang Merbok in the city centre by 3pm, where they stayed for the next two hours listening to speeches by various political leaders.

Amanah supporters marched from Maju Junction Mall towards Dataran Merdeka, but stopped at Jalan Parlimen for an hour before backtracking back to the shopping centre.

The rally saw rancour among some PAS supporters against Amanah, with some of them shouting “Jahanam Amanah” (To hell with Amanah).

Amanah comprises progressives who left PAS after losing to the conservative faction in a bitter election in the Islamist opposition party last year.

Amanah president Mohamad Sabu was seen giving a speech to a crowd of about 500 protesters comprising students, Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) members as well as notable members of civil society including Maria Chin Abdullah from polls reform group Bersih 2.0, Michelle Yesudas and Cynthia Gabriel.

PAS leaders in attendance at Padang Merbok included the Islamist opposition party’s deputy president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man and Idris Ahmad. PKR vice-president Chua Tian Chang was also present at the rally.

No DAP leaders were seen, except for Charles Santiago who has repeatedly opposed the TPP.

Parliament is set to debate the TPP next week.

Critics of the TPP contend that the US-driven Pacific treaty, which involves a dozen nations, could lead to medicine price hikes, internet censorship and put small local enterprises out of business when they compete against large American multi-nationals.

Protesters at the anti-TPP demonstration dispersed peacefully at about 5pm.

http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/anti-tpp-rally-reveals-bad-blood-between-amanah-and-pas

OPPOSE THE INHUMANE EMBARGO OF THE U.S. AGAINST CUBA

On the 27th of October 2015, the Republic of Cuba will once again present a resolution to the United National General Assembly calling for an end to the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed and maintained by the United States of America against Cuba since 1961.

Cuba has presented such resolution to the General Assembly each year and it has regularly been passed by an overwhelming majority of General Assembly member countries, besides the United States and Israel.

Going against the democratic will of the majority of United Nations member countries, the United States has consistently ignored such resolutions passed in the General Assembly and has maintained this embargo against Cuba which poses no real threat to the United States, which maintains no such sanctions or embargoes against nuclear powers such as the former Soviet Union, Russia today and China which have the capacity to inflict great damage and destruction on the United States in event of war.

Raging Grannies protest U.S. embargo against Cuba

This inhumane embargo not only restricts trade between the United States and Cuba but also trade between other countries and Cuba, as well as shipping and air routes which include Cuba as a stop.

Whilst resourceful Cuba has a viable home grown biomedical industry, this embargo denies Cuba access to other required medicines for the health of its people as well as access to key components for pharmaceuticals development, as well as other kinds of medical items and equipment from any country which contain a certain proportion if U.S. content or technology. This blockade also restricts approval for Cuba's biomedical products from being granted by respective medical and pharmaceutical regulatory bodies around the world.

For example, one such product produced from scorpion venom can combat cancer and prolong or save the lives of cancer patients - patients such as my cousin who passed away from cancer in 2009. 

The embargo also limits Cuba's communications connectivity to the rest of the world, forcing Cuba to rely on a slow satellite link to the international Internet. In 2010 or 2011 I downloaded a Cuban version of Linux from a server in Cuba and boy it was slow at a mere 256 Kbps.

It also limits Cuba's access to computer hardware, electronic components, software, communication equipment and so forth, upon threat of companies in any country being heavily penalised by the U.S. imperialists for selling any items or software containing up to a certain percentage of U.S. content.

It also restricts Cuba's access to financial services, which in turn limits Cuba's trade with other countries.

The embargo also greatly restricts international trade in Cuba's products such as cigars, rum, sugar and others.

However, unlike the imperialist regime which rules over them, the majority of American people oppose such embargo. In its poll conducted in July 2015, the Pew Research Center found that 72% of the US population wants an end to the blockade, up from 66% in January 2015.

However, the right wing Republicans who control the U.S. Congress and the House of Representatives continues to support such a meaningless and cruel embargo against a socialist country in Latin America, bolstered by a small caucus within the House of Representatives and the Senate which is comprised of Cubans loyal to the former regime of Fulgencio Batista Zaldívar, the pro U.S. imperialist dictator whose regime was overthrown by the Cuban people led by Fidel Castro with the great assistance of Che Guevara.

It is hoped that this embargo will finally be lifted along with all remaining restrictions pertaining to travel to Cuba, telecommunications and financial remittances, especially following the U.S. imperialist regime's president Barack Obama's removal of Cuba from list of states “sponsoring international terrorism”, resumption of U.S. - Cuba diplomatic relations and the return of five patriotic Cuban anti-terrorist fighters to Cuba (who were unjustly imprisoned in the U.S. for years for covertly monitoring the activities of pro-U.S. imperialist Cuban-American terrorists who were responsible for U.S. engineered terrorism for decades, including the dramatic bombing of one of Cuba's civilian aircraft in 1976 resulting in the death of a large number of schoolchildren).

Goods for Cuba from Canada pass through U.S. immigration checkpoint

Whether or not this cruel and unjust embargo by the U.S. imperialist regime is lifted is left to be seen but whatever, the ever resourceful Cuba will continue to survive despite in and will continue to receive the support of justice-minded people of the world.

Cuban flag flies in the U.S.

 

Viva La Cuba!

The pictures above are photos I took in late 1993 or very early 1994, of the movements of a motor convoy carrying aid from Canada to Cuba, as it crossed the Canada - United States border between the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington (not to be confused with that degraded cesspit and vipers' nest called Washington DC).

Following below is a press release of 12th October 2015, issued by H.E. Ambassador Ruben Perez Valdes, Embassy of the Republic of Cuba in Malaysia.

Yours truly.

La Luccha Final

http://bureaupolitique.blogspot.my

DRAFT RESOLUTION “NECESSITY OF ENDING THE ECONOMIC, COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL EMBARGO IMPOSED BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AGAINST CUBA.”

SEVENTIETH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

• The establishment of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United States has been an initial positive step in the process towards the normalization of bilateral relations. In this context, we welcome President Barack Obama’s express intention to open a new chapter in the relations between both nations after recognizing that the blockade is harmful to the Cuban people and urging the US Congress to put an end to that policy.
  
  

• While the regulations issued by the Department of Commerce and the Treasury on January 15, 2015 were steps pointing in the right direction in areas such as travel to Cuba, telecommunications and remittances, these are limited in scope and only modify some aspects related to the implementation of the blockade.
  
  

• President Obama has broad possibilities to significantly modify the implementation of the blockade by making use of his executive powers, without requiring the support of the US Congress. An evidence of this are the new regulations enacted by the Department of Commerce and the Treasury on telecommunications which, with the purpose of pursuing political objectives, allow the operation of US companies in Cuba.
  
  

• After December 17, the implementation of the blockade against Cuba has remained unchanged, the most notorious examples of this being the 1.710 billion dollar fine imposed on the German bank Commerzbank and the 7 658 300 dollar fine imposed on the US company PayPal.
  
  

• Under President Obama’s administration, the blockade has been further tightened and its territorial implementation has been intensified through the imposition of 42 fines on US and foreign entities to the value of 13 279 148 196 dollars.
  
  

• Although President Obama staged an act of historical justice when he notified the US Congress of his decision to remove Cuba from the so-called List of States Sponsors of International Terrorism, a list in which Cuba should have never been included, this has not meant an easing of the intricacies of all the prohibitions and restrictions established by the blockade laws and regulations imposed against our country.
  
  

• For its part, the US Congress has not approved any of the bills seeking to eliminate some of the blockade regulations. However, some ten legal initiatives have been presented in Congress, the purpose of which being to reinforce several fundamental aspects related to the implementation of this policy and prevent the approval by the President of new executive measures and the implementation of those which have already been adopted.
  
  

• Based on all of the above, Cuba will uphold its call for an end to the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States. We expect to be able to count, once again, on the support of the international community at any fora where this issue is discussed, particularly the General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly, to vote in favor of the resolution against the blockade, which will be presented on October 27, 2015.
  
  

• The new draft resolution that we will present takes into account the new bilateral circumstances between Cuba and the United States, welcoming the re-establishment of diplomatic relations and recognizing the willingness expressed by the US President to work for the lifting of the blockade.
  
  

• These modifications are in accordance with the present context and the expectations of the international community with regard to this text.
  
  

• The blockade against Cuba should cease. It is the most unjust, severe and longest-lasting system of unilateral sanctions ever applied to any country.
  
  

• The economic damages caused to the Cuban people, based on very conservative estimates and considering the devaluation of the dollar against the price of gold in the international market, have been set at 833. 755 billion dollars, taking into account the reduction in the price of gold as compared to the former period. At current prices, throughout all these years, the blockade has caused damages estimated at more than 121.192 billion dollars.
  
  

• The international community’s mobilizing role in support of the lifting of the blockade imposed against Cuba is essential and will be an important factor in support of President Obama and those members of the US Congress who favor the end of this cruel policy, in face of their adversaries and critics. The international solidarity and support that Cuba has received all along these long and tough years have been crucial in the change of the US Cuba policy.
  
  

• Cuba reiterates its gratitude for the continued support given by the international community to the Cuban people’s call for the ceasing of this illegal, genocidal and extraterritorial policy, which will never prevent the Cuban people from defending its sovereignty and its right to freely decide upon its future.
  
  

EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF CUBA

MALAYSIA

October 12th. 2015

CONGRATULATIONS TO JEREMY CORBYN (WITH RESERVATIONS)

COMMENT TO VIDEO OF JEREMY CORBYN's VICTORY SPEECH

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmgvhn13WPk

Congratulations Jeremy on your win.

I sincerely hope that you will take your party back to its roots in serving the interests of the British labour movement and that you will end Britain's military involvement in the service of U.S. imperialist aggression in the world.

It is high time that someone stands up to oppose the neo-liberal misery imposed upon the British workers and people since Margaret Thatcher was elected in 1979.

Roll back the measures imposed since Thatcher to curtail the power of British trade unions and reverse the wave of neo-liberal privatisations imposed on Britain's key industries, colleges, universities, the health service and so forth. Reinstate the principals of Clause IV.

However, I keep my fingers crossed and reserve my final judgement of you until you prove by your actions when elected as Britain's government, and I sincerely hope that you do not let the British workers and people down, like Syriza has done in Greece.

La Luccha Final

(The final conflict)

PS. The support which Jeremy Corbyn has received and the resurgence of enthusiastic support for traditional Labour Party policies is proof positive of pent up frustrations over the misery resulting from neo-liberal policies imposed by Thatcher and subsequent pro-capitalist New Labour Party leaders such as Tony Blair who made Britain subservient to U.S. imperialism and to the finance capital (the banksters).

You will not have read of or seen such scenes of workers and people fighting back against capitalist austerity on foreign or domestic mainstream LIE MEDIA but these protests are going on all around the world right now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i86W93OPP2U

However, as mentioned in my comment to Corbyn, I reserve my final judgement of him until he proves himself to hold true to his words in his actions when finally elected Prime Minister.

After the treachery and betrayal of the Syriza government in Greece led by Alexis Tsipras, I will not count any chickens until they are hatched.

However, the key difference between Corbyn, the Labour rank and file and the trade unions is that they are solid working class, whilst the "radical leftists" of Syriza including Tsipras are a hodge podge of middle class, radicals who emerged from the student movement.

If Corbyn and Labour live up to their words in action, they could set in motion a massive pendulum swing which will sweep away the misery imposed upon the people of the world by neo-liberal policies dictated by imperialist agencies such as the IMF, the WTO, World Bank and so forth for over 30 years since Thatcher and Reagan.

However, until Corbyn proves himself in action, I keep my fingers crossed.