SP Newsletter No.176
Urgent protest letters needed
Ainur Kurmanov, a leading member of Socialist Resistance, the sister organisation of the Socialist Party in Kazakhstan, was jailed, this week, for five days, by the local authorities in the capital city, Alma-Ata.

Ainur was arrested after participating in a protest in support of residents in the Bakai area of Alma-Ata, who, for over a year, resisted forced evictions, which are intended to allow building speculators to use the land for profit.

Ainur was jailed previously and fined for taking part in mass protests against the destruction of shanty towns near Alma-Ata to make way for ‘entertainment complexes’ and luxury flats. Last April, however, a court rejected the state prosecutor’s appeal for Ainur to serve a longer prison sentence. Now, it appears the authorities are, once again, trying to muzzle a leading housing and social rights activist and socialist, by sending Ainur to jail.

We urge all SP supporters in Australia to send letters of protest to the President of Kazakhstan. Unfortunately there is not an embassy in Australia but you can send protest letters direct to the President by clicking on the link below.
Click here
Please also send copies of the protest letters and messages of support to our comrades in Kazakhstan at: bolshevik1917@list.ru with copies to: pabgem@online.ru

Important Public Meeting in Melbourne this week!

SP will be hosting a public meeting in Melbourne on Wednesday 27th June, 7pm at Trades Hall in Carlton. The key note speaker will be Rob Stary, Australia’s most famous left wing lawyer, on the anti-democratic laws introduced for APEC and what protestors can expect. All welcome!

Get on the ‘Red Buses’ to APEC

SP will be organising a fleet of ‘Red Buses to APEC’ from Melbourne to Sydney on September 7-9. We are taking expressions of interest for seats now. If you support the APEC protests against the neo-liberal heavy weights, and can’t make it in person to the protests, you can sponsor a place by donation. In the lead up to the event we will also be holding regular organising meetings. For more information or to put your name down for a seat call our National Office on 03 9639 9111

Join the Socialist Party

If you agree with what you have read in our newsletter or on our website you should consider joining SP. The Socialist Party has branches in Melbourne, Sydney, Newcastle and Perth as well as members and supporters in all other states. We are involved in trade union work and student work. We also run community, anti-war and environmental campaigns. But most of all we want to build a party that will fight to overthrow the capitalist system. We fight for socialism - a system that will bring an end to wars, poverty and environmental destruction. For more information about joining in your area contact the SP National Office. 0396399111

SP subscriber List

Become a supporter of SP today! Join our subscribers list - only $20 per year or $10 concession. You will receive our newspaper ‘The Socialist’, delivered to your door every month, and our email newsletter every week. You will also know that you are supporting a party that is at the fore of the fight back against Howard and against capitalism. Contact the SP National Office now on 0396399111 to join the list.

The Socialist

Issue 34 of SP’s monthly newspaper ‘The Socialist’ is out now! Readers can pick up a copy at our regular street stalls, from our National Office or by joining the SP subscriber’s list. This month’s paper features articles on APEC, industrial relations, public education, Tamil arrests, climate change, Powderfinger, Scotland, a report from our councillor in Yarra, and a centre page spread on the1998 water front dispute.

SP now on My Space!

My Space is an online forum for networking. You can use it to chat, share photos, videos and journals. SP is using it to promote our party and meet people interested in socialist politics. Check out our site here

Regional Activity

Victoria

The SP Melbourne Branch meets every Wednesday 7pm at Trades Hall in Carlton South. 1st Floor Corner of Lygon & Victoria Streets. This week the Melbourne branch will host a public meeting featuring Rob Stary, Australia’s most famous left wing lawyer, on the anti-democratic laws introduced for APEC and what protestors can expect. All welcome!

New South Wales

To find out more info or to join SP in Sydney contact Gary - 02 9728 7727

To find out more info or to join SP in Newcastle contact Samantha - 02 4968 1545

Western Australia

To find out more info or to join SP in Perth contact John on – 08 9402 0728

Please note childcare is available at all SP meetings but only by prior arrangement please call ahead first.

News links just a click away –

Nigeria: Solid general strike against fuel and tax hikes and for decent wages
Click here

Palestine: Infighting blows apart ‘national unity’ government
Click here

South Africa: Public sector workers’ strike enters third week
Click here

Get Active - Join the fight back, Get Militant - Join the Socialist Party
The Socialist Party is the Australian section of the Committee for a Workers’ International (CWI).
To contact or join the SP or CWI anywhere in Australia or the world call our National Office
++61 3 9639 9111

‘Workers of the world unite – you’ve got nothing to lose but your chains’