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Aisha writes: "When Muhammad Rafiq Butt died in the New Jersey's Hudson County jail on
Oct.
23 after a month of detention, no one knew he was there. The
55-year-old
Pakistani restaurant worker was one of the 1,147 people detained for
questioning in the investigation of the Sept. 11 attacks. Until county
officials announced that Butt had been found dead in his jail cell,
neither
the Pakistani consulate, Butt's family, nor members of the local
Pakistani
community knew of his incarceration.

The Justice Department has since confirmed that they have no evidence
linking Butt to the hijackers. Butt, instead, was being held by the
Immigration and Naturalization Service for overstaying his visitor's
visa
and lacking proper travel documents. Yet his detention was cloaked in
secrecy. Butt's name was expunged from immigration charging documents.

Human rights attorneys say many immigrants like Butt, who speak little
English, often do not understand that they have the right to make phone
calls to lawyers and loved ones. And some, such as political
dissidents,
have good reasons for not contacting their consulates. But civil
liberties
groups say Butt's virtual disappearance into detention on Sept. 19 is
just
one of many cases where the government has withheld public information
about
detainees. Non-citizens held on immigration charges are most vulnerable
because they have no right to an attorney while in custody. Butt
appeared at
his hearing with a translator, but without legal counsel.

For the full story, go to:

http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=11882"

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Hugo Chavez Defies Protests of His Economic Policies

CARACAS -- President Hugo Chavez dared Venezuela's largest business
federation Tuesday to proceed with a one- day strike to protest his economic
policies, saying his government's popularity would win the day.

``I dare them to have that strike. We will see who has more strength,
[business] or the sovereign people,'' Chavez said while inaugurating a
transportation law. ``I'm the head of state. You're not going to put me
against the wall; you're not going to blackmail me.'' ...

http://www.miami.com/herald/content/news/americas/digdocs/071008.htm

Autonomedia and Big Red Media announce the

2002 "Sheroes & Womyn Warriors" Wall Calendar

which is now available for purchase on-line at 2002 Sheroes Calendar.

Here is an explanation of this calendar project:

This is a corrective "history" project. It is part of a Herstory coming into being. We recognize, celebrate and honor "womyn" (spelled like this to take the Man out) of the past (as well as a few who still live today but are in their twilight years) who have been rebels and fighters against patriarchy, who opposed and fought invaders and aggressors to their homelands, and who represent radicals and revolutionaries of their times and societies, who if they were alive today, would continue to serve as sheroic examples. We've also included a few celestial and supernatural females important to a womyn-centeredness.

Tags:

TAZ writes: "...sad to see another "voice of the people" disappear from our daily reporting, especially someone so near and dear and familiar with the present crisis of tenant and overdevelopment issues. Her passion and enthusiasum will be missed by all.

IN MEMORIAM: JULIA LOBBIA

Last night, we heard the upsetting news that Julia Lobbia, the Village Voice columnist for "Towers and Tenements", passed away Thursday after a bout with cancer. Under the pen name "J.A. Lobbia," Julia's writings focused on the problems tenants and neighborhoods face in New York City. We often reprinted her column in this newsletter -- her reporting being the only regular column in mainstream NYC media covering tenant and overdevelopment issues.

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Rising Seas Force Evacuation of Island Country

Lester R. Brown


The leaders of Tuvalu--a tiny island country in the Pacific Ocean midway
between Hawaii and Australia--have conceded defeat in their battle with the
rising sea, announcing that they will abandon their homeland. New Zealand
has agreed to accept all 11,000 citizens of Tuvalu, with migration expected
to start in 2002.


During the twentieth century, sea level rose by 20-30 centimeters (8-12
inches). The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projects a rise of up
to 1 meter during this century. Sea level is rising because of the melting
of glaciers and the thermal expansion of the ocean as a result of climate
change. This in turn is due to rising atmospheric levels of CO2, largely
from burning fossil fuels.

PHILADELPHIA -- (AP) A judge on Wednesday rejected a plea for a new trial
from Mumia Abu-Jamal, the former Black Panther and journalist sentenced
to death for killing a police officer in 1981.


Common Pleas Judge Pamela Dembe said she does not have jurisdiction over
Abu-Jamal's petition for a new trial, scuttling his hopes for another
round of state-court appeals.


Abu-Jamal argued that his former lawyers did a poor job and that he has
new evidence that could clear him.

Columbus, GA - Twenty-nine committed citizens from across the United States are currently in their third day of incarceration in the Muscogee County Jail in Columbus, GA. They are fasting and refuse to disclose their names since their arrest on Sunday, November 18. The group was part of last weekend's protest actions to call attention to the School of the Americas (SOA). A Global Village, made out of wood, paint and cardboard was erected on Sunday evening directly in front of the gates of the US Army base Fort Benning, GA - home of the SOA.

The SOA is a military training school for soldiers from Latin America and has been linked to hundreds of crimes and human rights atrocities throughout the Western Hemisphere. Graduates of the school have been involved in torture, massacres and military coups. (for more information check www.soaw.org)

The Global Village, which included a mosque, a shrine, a church and a school for peace and democracy stood in fundamental opposition to the SOA and everything it embodies.

After 5 hours of solidarity, community, friendship and peace, armed police squads in riot gear moved in, handcuffed, and dragged the villagers into a police bus. Fort Benning soldiers in fatigue uniforms moved in and destroyed the village as well as the memorial for victims of SOA violence in which the fence of the military base had been transformed throughout the day. (for more information and pictures check www.atlanta.indymedia.org)

The group of twenty-nine is engaging in Jail/Court Solidarity to challenge the injustice that nonviolent citizens are getting punished while those responsible for torture, rape and murder are going free. Jail/Court Solidarity is combining non-cooperation techniques and collective bargaining. (for more information check www.lawcollective.org)

While all of the women are together in one big group, two men have been singled out from the group of the male prisoners. The prisoners are asking supporters on the outside to call the jail to demand the return of the two males to the group. (Muscogee County Jail, Major Terry Ezell: 706-653-4258, Sheriff Ralf Johnson: 706-653-4225)

SHUT DOWN THE SCHOOL OF THE AMERICAS!

FREEDOM FOR ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS!

Venezuela President Would Meet Coup 'Rifle in Hand'

By Silene Ramirez

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Sunday
dismissed rumors of a possible military coup in his South American
nation, but warned that if there were any such insurrection he would
meet it with "my rifle in hand."


As the popularity of former coup leader Chavez has slipped over the
last year, the opposition-run media and his political opponents have
played on rumors of discontent in the armed forces.


Two weeks ago, military chiefs felt it necessary to issue a written
statement expressing their "full support" for the former-paratrooper
turned president's three-year-old "revolutionary" government.

hydrarchist writes: "... big news on the Pacifica Campaign. Check out this fresh story from 2600.com.

Pacifica National Board Agrees to Resign

Posted 19 Nov 2001 06:57:24 UTC

It appears that major changes are imminent at Pacifica, owner of WBAI, host of "Off The Hook." At the national board meeting in Washington DC this weekend, a number of important issues were addressed and substantial progress appears to have been made towards resolving some longstanding controversies.


Perhaps most significant is the agreement that would in effect turn the radio network over to an interim board. Five members of this board would be appointed by the current board majority, another five by the "dissident" board minority, and a final five by each of the five Pacifica station's local advisory boards. At that point the current national board would resign. This appears to be a vital step towards overall democratization of Pacifica, something which has been a key demand for years by those opposing the national board and its policy of self-appointments and lack of accountability.


A number of other key concerns were addressed. Among those that will be dealt with in the very near future were the return of "Democracy Now!" to Pacifica airwaves, sharply reduced powers for the Pacifica executive director, a review of the position of national program director, the ongoing strike by former Pacifica Network News reporters, the status of the fired and banned programmers throughout the network, an audit of Pacifica finances, a removal of the "gag" rule forbidding programmers from talking about these issues on the air, and a guarantee that none of the Pacifica stations would be sold or leased.


More significant developments are expected in the next few days."

Beginning on November 14, 2001, in serial installments posted every other day, Autonomedia is publishing, on-line, a new novel by the Swiss author Daniel de Roulet, in an English translation by Stefania Fumo. The novel will appear at davos. Simultaneous postings will appear in the original French at http://www.largeur.com and in German translation at http://www.paranoiacity.ch/