CC Newsletter 22 Dec - Chile: another good-sized nail in neoliberalism’s coffin

 

Dear Friend,

Since our annual fundraising appeal went out three weeks ago, we've raised about 60% of the funds needed to continue our operations for another year. However, we've a long way to go to meet our target. We need a lot more people to come forward to support our work. Kindly support CC. You can do so here https://countercurrents.org/subscription/

A few days ago, when neofascist candidate José Antonio Kast was winning the first round of the country’s presidential elections, Chile’s 2019 rebellion aimed at burying neoliberalism appeared to be at an end. However, it has been greatly reinvigorated with the landslide victory of the Apruebo Dignidad1 (I Vote For Dignity) candidate, Gabriel Boric Font, who obtained 56 percent of the vote in the second round, that is nearly 5 million votes, the largest ever in the country’s history. Gabriel, age 35 is the youngest president ever.

If you think the contents of this news letter are critical for the dignified living and

survival of humanity and other species on earth, please forward it to your friends and spread the word. It's time for humanity to come together as one family! You can subscribe to our news letter here http://www.countercurrents.org/news-letter/.

In Solidarity

Binu Mathew

Editor

Countercurrents.org

Chile: another good-sized nail in neoliberalism’s coffin

by Francisco Dominguez   

https://countercurrents.org/2021/12/chile-another-good-sized-nail-in-neoliberalisms-coffin/

A few days ago, when neofascist candidate José Antonio Kast was winning the first round of the country’s presidential elections, Chile’s 2019 rebellion aimed at burying neoliberalism appeared to be at an end. However, it has been greatly reinvigorated with the landslide victory of the Apruebo Dignidad1 (I Vote For Dignity) candidate, Gabriel Boric Font, who obtained 56 percent of the vote in the second round, that is nearly 5 million votes, the largest ever in the country’s history. Gabriel, age 35 is the

youngest president ever.

Possibility Of Civil War in U.S., Warn Three Retired Generals And CIA Consultant

by Countercurrents Collective

https://countercurrents.org/2021/12/possibility-of-civil-war-in-u-s-warn-three-retired-generals-and-cia-consultant/

Three retired U.S. army generals warned of an insurrection or even civil war if the results of the 2024 presidential election were not accepted by some in the military. Former Major Gen. Paul Eaton, former Major Gen. Antonio Taguba, and former Brig. Gen. Steven Anderson made the warnings in an op-ed in The Washington Post on Friday.

Nord Stream 2 is a double-edged geopolitical tool

by M K Bhadrakumar

https://countercurrents.org/2021/12/nord-stream-2-is-a-double-edged-geopolitical-tool/

Germany has suspended Nord Stream 2 certification; and, Russian gas stops flowing into Germany from December 21, 2021

America’s Underperforming Military

by Andrew Bacevich

https://countercurrents.org/2021/12/americas-underperforming-military/

Professional sports is a cutthroat business. Succeed and the people running the show reap rich rewards. Fail to meet expectations and you get handed your walking papers. American-style war in the twenty-first century is quite a different matter. Of course, war is not a game. The stakes on the battlefield are infinitely higher than on the playing field. When wars go wrong, “We’ll show ’em next year — just you wait!” is seldom a satisfactory response. At least, it shouldn’t be. Yet somehow, the American people, our political establishment, and our military have all fallen into the habit of shrugging off or simply ignoring disappointing outcomes.

Impending Omicron crisis- Why are political rallies and other large gatherings being permitted?

by E A S Sarma

https://countercurrents.org/2021/12/impending-omicron-crisis-why-are-political-rallies-and-other-large-gatherings-being-permitted/

We are once

again facing a steep surge of the Covid virus; this time it is the new mutant, Omicron looming large. This Covid variant is reported to be three times more infectious than its Delta predecessor, which wreaked havoc on the people during the second wave. Political parties go on with massive rallys in the face of Omicron crisis

Omicron: Much sound with little light

by Satya Sagar

https://countercurrents.org/2021/12/omicron-much-sound-with-little-light/

The biggest threat to lives and well-being worldwide comes, not just from a rapidly mutating, capricious virus but even more so from the atrocious selfishness of global elites. The panic and anxiety over Omicron – driven as usual by a vacuous media-  serves only to hide the harsh reality of global inequity- the grimmest reaper of them all.

Despite farmers victory against new laws, the crisis of agriculture continues

by Shirish Khare

https://countercurrents.org/2021/12/despite-farmers-victory-against-new-laws-the-crisis-of-agriculture-continues/

According to an interim report released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), during the period of the Covid pandemic, farmers have been ending their lives due to indebtedness and depression over losses in agricultural operations. The NCRB report states that  an estimated 10,677    people, including 5,579 farmers/cultivators and 5,098 agricultural labourers — died by suicide during 2020. This accounted for seven per cent of the total suicides cases (153,052) in the country last year.

Vikalp Sangam Supports an Auroville Free to Continue its Experiments on Sustainability and Harmony

by Vikalp Sangam Core Group

https://countercurrents.org/2021/12/vikalp-sangam-supports-an-auroville-free-to-continue-its-experiments-on-sustainability-and-harmony/

We are deeply disturbed by reports from the experimental township of Auroville (a living UNESCO world heritage site),

that unique forests, water catchment areas, community spaces are being bulldozed, and most importantly of all, community processes being ignored and bypassed

Decreasing farm size and increasing hunger

by Vikas Parashram Meshram

https://countercurrents.org/2021/12/decreasing-farm-size-and-increasing-hunger/

Although the farmers have returned home after the Modi government withdrew three agriculture laws, seriously considering the very foundation of India’s economic policy, the crisis is so deep that providing food from agriculture to the country’s growing population is not a new challenge.

CC News Letter 08 August - Urban poor at the mercy of town planners

 

Dear Friend,

In north and south of India houses of urban poor are being demolished and even Supreme Court's orders are not being followed.

Kindly support honest journalism to survive. https://countercurrents.org/subscription/

If you think the contents of this news letter are critical for the dignified living and survival of humanity and other species on earth, please forward it to your friends and spread the word. It's time for humanity to come together as one family! You can subscribe to our news letter here http://www.countercurrents.org/news-letter/.

In Solidarity

Binu Mathew

Editor

Countercurrents.org

The Rehabilitation Policy for Khori Gaon is not ready, The orders of Supreme Court are not being followed

Press Release

https://countercurrents.org/2021/08/the-rehabilitation-policy-for-khori-gaon-is-not-ready-the-orders-of-supreme-court-are-not-being-followed/

In Khori Gaon, hundreds of families have been displaced and thousands of houses are being brutally demolished

each day. After the completion of the demolition drive, the destitute working-class residents are being forced to live without any shelter. They are also being immediately and forcibly removed from the area and being threatened with police action. Despite the order of the Hon’ble Supreme Court on August 3rd, the Municipal Corporation of Faridabad has not provided any e-mail to the thousands of displaced residents to lodge complaints. No back office has been set up at Radha Swami Satsang Centre either.

In Khori Gaon, hundreds of families have been displaced and thousands of houses are being brutally demolished each day. After the completion of the demolition drive, the destitute working-class residents are being forced to live without any shelter. They are also being immediately and forcibly removed from the area and being threatened with police action.

Despite the order of the Hon’ble Supreme Court on August 3rd, the Municipal Corporation of Faridabad has not provided any e-mail to the thousands of displaced residents to lodge complaints. No back office has been set up at Radha Swami Satsang Centre either.

Most of those uprooted from Khori Gaon in the recent demolition exercise were working class citizens. These people had built their small houses with their hard-earned money or by taking loans or by selling the land and property in their ancestral villages. The residents have witnessed very stressful times starting from 14th July 2021. They have suffered physical injuries and mental torture. They have also been treated inhumanly and disrespectfully. After the lockdown enforced unemployment they were subjected to the brutal demolition exercise which has taken their homes away. Most residents are lying on the road or beside the remains of their demolished houses, some are living on rent while few are living with their relatives.

The Hon’ble Supreme Court in its order dated August 3 on page 4 had ordered that the Haryana Government should finalize the rehabilitation policy framed by the Municipal Corporation of Faridabad for the desolate residents of Khori Gaon till the next date of hearing. (The order of the Supreme Court dated 03-08-2021 is attached). Now since it is the Haryana Government itself looking after the entire policy, it is necessary that the historical injustice is recognized and corrected.

Rekha, Pinki and other residents of Pushpa have repeatedly sent letters to the Haryana government, the litigants have appealed to the government that the government should simplify the process of rehabilitation and it should be made more inclusive. Their consent should also be taken. Mainly, the scope of eligibility should be increased whereby any Voter ID card registered on any address, any documents of residence of Khori Gaon like family identity card, birth certificate, death certificate, marriage certificate, children’s school admission papers, property papers, any of the land purchase Documents, ration card, banking account, etc. should be considered as the basis of rehabilitation.

Everyone’s house was demolished. Therefore, until there is proper rehabilitation for the people, there should be proper arrangements for food and shelter.

Due to the immediate eviction of thousands of families from Khori village, the rents of houses in the surrounding areas have increased rapidly. Therefore, rental allowance of houses should be made at least ₹ 5000 per family till proper rehabilitation is done.

It has also been repeatedly told to the government that the flats of Dabua Colony of Faridabad being given for rehabilitation are in very bad condition. There is no security of any kind. No electricity and water too. Most of the flats do not even have any windows or doors.

The Supreme Court, in its order dated 7 June 2021, had ordered the removal of possession from the forest land. The court had left the rehabilitation to the state government. After demolition of more than 10,000 houses and more than lakh people in Khori Gaon, the Supreme Court should also keep similar strict orders regarding rehabilitation.

The Haryana government should issue an email to register complaints and set up a backup office on Radha Swami Satsang urgently.

Haryana government should prepare a rehabilitation policy which takes into consideration the historical injustices faced by the residents of Khori Gaon and caters to the needs of the suffering citizens.

In Solidarity

Concerned Citizens for Khori Gaon

National Alliance of People’s Movements

Dalit families targeted in Demolition Drive Undertaken by Bangalore Development Authority

Press Release

https://countercurrents.org/2021/08/dalit-families-targeted-in-demolition-drive-undertaken-by-bangalore-development-authority/

Dalit families targeted in Demolition Drive Undertaken by Bangalore Development Authority in Doddabettahalli  (Yelahanka Hobli, Bangalore North)

US Foreign Policy Adrift: Why Washington No Longer Calling the Shots

by Dr Ramzy Baroud

https://countercurrents.org/2021/08/us-foreign-policy-adrift-why-washington-no-longer-calling-the-shots/

Shackled with a legacy of unnecessary, fruitless and immoral wars, yet with no actual ‘forward’ strategy, the US, arguably for the first time since the inception of NATO in the aftermath of World War II, has no decipherable foreign policy doctrine. Even if such a doctrine exists, it can only be materialized through alliances whose relationships are constructed on trust and confidence. Despite the EU’s courteous reception of Biden in Cornwall, trust in Washington is at an all-time low.

The nitrogen challenge for organic agriculture

by Gunnar Rundgren

https://countercurrents.org/2021/08/the-nitrogen-challenge-for-organic-agriculture/

Three new research articles wrestle with the question of nitrogen (N) availability in organic farming. All three are based on the indisputable fact that nitrogen availability is the factor that makes the biggest difference between organic

and conventional farming. It is often claimed that half of the global food supply is made possible by the use of chemical fertilizers, but is it true that we will starve if all farms in the world were organic?

Questions to Richard Heinberg from a 15-Year-Old Student

by Richard Heinberg

https://countercurrents.org/2021/08/questions-to-richard-heinberg-from-a-15-year-old-student/

A 15 year old student asks energy expert Richard Heinberg a complete reset to renewable energy viable?

Swadeshi Jagaran Manch Against Modi’s Economic policy

by Ramakrishnan

https://countercurrents.org/2021/08/swadeshi-jagaran-manch-against-modis-economic-policy/

“Relief to thieves, and Thousands of Crores of Rupees Loss to Government and Public,” says Swadeshi (SJM) leader, on Modi Govt Bill . Modi’s “swadeshi” regime passes Bill to benefit global capital, to the detriment of the Indian economy.

Moving HIV prevention and treatment tools from the lab to all those in need

by Shobha

Shukla

https://countercurrents.org/2021/08/moving-hiv-prevention-and-treatment-tools-from-the-lab-to-all-those-in-need/

Scientific interventions alone will not help unless they are made accessible to those living with HIV or are at risk of it. Moving effective treatment and prevention tools fast enough to the people who need them most is crucial if countries are serious about ending AIDS by 2030.

Achieving Hindu Muslim Amity: Challenges Ahead

by Dr Ram Puniyani

https://countercurrents.org/2021/08/achieving-hindu-muslim-amity-challenges-ahead/

Surely if Bhagwat is willing to substitute the sectarian version of Indian history being instilled by his organization in myriad way, dialogue will be meaningful.

Regarding Sheshu Babu's Cancer Treatment; CC News Letter 19 July- Politicians, Journalists, HR Activists And Others Spied Upon Using Pegasus Spyware

 

Dear Authors and Readers of Countercurrents,

I sent out an appeal a few days ago about raising funds for our esteemed author and comment writer K. Sheshu Babu who is suffering from cancer. We have raised about one lakh rupees so far. That is just enough for one chemotherapy, which is very expensive in his case. He needs more support. Kindly support Sheshu Babu with whatever little you can contribute. He's a precious human being. I've added his SWIFT CODE so that people from outside India too can contribute. It is given at the end of this appeal.

Here's a touching note by Shobha Aggarwal & P.S. Sahni to Sheshu Babu

Dear Sheshu Babu,

Read about your valiant, inspirational struggle and the resistance you are offering to the colonic tumour which has chanced to visit you – as it does to millions of inhabitants of planet earth; that you continue to write and enlighten Indian public at large reminds us of Ivan Illich who like you wrote important pieces as he struggled with his tumour

in the neck. When pain became unbearable he was advised to take opiates but still continued with his writing.

The fact that you are battling the ailment for so long without as much as sharing it with the larger Countercurrents’ family of authors and readers till July 2021 is a testimony to your sensitivity and selflessness. We are humbled.

One of us – P. S. Sahni – like you would offer comments to articles for a two decade period (1965 to 1985) in English language papers based in Delhi. Sending a comment to an article is much more difficult and painstaking since you have to imbibe the article and then raise any questions/comment on the issue at hand. Doing it day in and day out in a large number of papers, magazines and journals – as you have been doing we know – is a full time job with the added disadvantage of not getting paid. To that extent it is a thankless job. To be visually challenged and getting articles read/heard through a word to speech machine is itself a

monumental job.

When the two of us started writing for CC in 2014, we would expectantly wait for a comment from you and you invariably obliged; it injected some confidence in us. One of us, P.S. Sahni writing about his life threatening heart attack and ICU admission wrote in CC:  “I would browse through articles in CC and Sheshu Babu’s comments on umpteen articles. This reading brought sanity to my heart which would otherwise at times go berserk into ectopic beats.”

We wonder whether you have ever counted the number of your comments which have got published? For being an avid comment writer you deserve a place in the Guinness Book of Records. Public spiritedness is ingrained in you. In any developed democracy people like you deserve to be offered a public office.

As you continue offering resistance to your ailment – presently through chemo therapy – you may have queries in your mind. Please do not hesitate to send us an email as and when and as often you want.

Permit us

to make a small contribution in your fight. Shobha Aggarwal would be soon making an electronic transfer on behalf of both of us totaling Rs. 50,000/- (Rs. Fifty thousand only) in your account – which we would share equally.

In solidarity,

Shobha Aggarwal & P.S. Sahni

Here are his bank details

Account Holder Name : Mr K SESHU BABU

Account Number : 013210100076152

Account type: Savings

IFSC Code : UBIN0801321

SWIFT Code : UBININBBOSH

Bank: Union Bank Of India

If you have any doubts, kindly mail him  directly: xexu5363@gmail.com

Here is the original appeal.

Binu Mathew

Editor

Countercurrents.org

Dear Friend,

NSO Group, a private Israeli firm that sells surveillance technology to governments worldwide, insists that its Pegasus spyware is used only to “investigate terrorism and crime.” Leaked data, however, reveals that the company’s hacking tool “has been used to facilitate human rights violations around the world on a massive scale.” The Wire revealed that more than 1000 phones in India were snooped upon by the Pegasus spyware sold by the Israeli company, NSO Group. This included Congress’ Rahul Gandhi, poll strategist Prashant Kishor and the Centre’s new IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Scores of journalists, human rights activists, politicians, business persons and even government functionaries were targeted.

Kindly support honest journalism to survive. https://countercurrents.org/subscription/

If you think the contents of this news letter are critical for the dignified living and survival of humanity and other species on earth, please forward it to your

friends and spread the word. It's time for humanity to come together as one family! You can subscribe to our news letter here http://www.countercurrents.org/news-letter/.

In Solidarity

Binu Mathew

Editor

Countercurrents.org

Politicians, Journalists, HR Activists And Others Spied Upon Using Pegasus Spyware

by Countercurrents Collective

https://countercurrents.org/2021/07/politicians-journalist-hr-activists-and-others-spied-upon-using-pegasus-spyware/

NSO Group, a private Israeli firm that sells surveillance technology to governments worldwide, insists that its Pegasus spyware is used only to “investigate terrorism and crime.” Leaked data, however, reveals that the company’s hacking tool “has been used to facilitate human rights violations around the world on a massive scale.” The Wire revealed that more than 1000 phones in India were snooped upon by the Pegasus spyware sold by the Israeli company, NSO Group. This included Congress’ Rahul Gandhi, poll strategist

Prashant Kishor and the Centre’s new IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Scores of journalists, human rights activists, politicians, business persons and even government functionaries were targeted.

Migration Is Not the Crisis: What Washington Could Really Do in Central America

by Aviva Chomsky

https://countercurrents.org/2021/07/migration-is-not-the-crisis-what-washington-could-really-do-in-central-america/

There’s plenty the United States could do to develop more constructive policies towards Central America and its inhabitants. That, however, would require thinking far more deeply about the “root causes” of the present catastrophe than Biden, Harris, and crew seem willing to do. In truth, the policies of this country bear an overwhelming responsibility for creating the very structural conditions that cause the stream of migrants that both Democrats and Republicans have decried, turning the act of simple survival into an eternal “crisis” for those very migrants and their

families.  A change in course is long overdue.

Dangerous Games in Syria

by Slavisha Batko Milacic

https://countercurrents.org/2021/07/dangerous-games-in-syria/

The media has once again proved its status as the “seventh force”! All of a sudden, the remnants of the seemingly defeated ISIS and the crushed al-Qaeda have changed their names. The radical Jabhat al-Nusra suddenly turned into an authoritarian, albeit quite suitable partner for Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, whose leader, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, sat for a February 2021 interview with the correspondent of the “independent” and popular TV program Frontline as a completely secular man clad in a suit and talking about Islamic values.

Scenario for US & NATO Invasion of Crimea and Origins of American Hatred of Russia

by John Stanton

https://countercurrents.org/2021/07/scenario-for-us-nato-invasion-of-crimea-and-origins-of-american-hatred-of-russia/

The United States has a very predictable prelude to any war that it

seeks to conduct. The first to fight is the US Treasury, Wall Street, and the economic and financial instruments of US national power. Russia is currently under US sanctions for annexing Crimea and, perhaps, for just existing. A long roster of countries–China, Venezuela, and Iran, for example–and individuals are on the US Treasury sanctions roster, so many that the US might just as well sanction the entire world except for NATO members (maybe that is coming).

Way to Go Captain Ron!!!

by Philip A Farruggio

https://countercurrents.org/2021/07/way-to-go-captain-ron/

So, the polls say that Captain Ron is the leading contender for the GOP presidential top slot for 2024. The MAGA crowd really loves Captain Ron, and why not?

Transitional period ahead in US-China relations

by M K Bhadrakumar

https://countercurrents.org/2021/07/transitional-period-ahead-in-us-china-relations/

Merkel is a highly experienced stateswoman with a superb mastery of the use of parentheses in her

articulation of policies and strategies. She agreed with Biden that relationship with China is among the many priorities in foreign policy today; that “wherever human rights are not guaranteed, we will make our voices heard and make clear that we don’t agree with this” but Germany is “also for territorial integrity of all countries of the world.”

Modi, Mohan Bhagwat And The Secular Morality

by Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd 

https://countercurrents.org/2021/07/modi-mohan-bhagwat-and-the-secular-morality/

After Mohan Bhagwat, the Sarsanchalak of the Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), addressed the ‘positivity unlimited’ theme about Covid calamity of India on 15 May, 2021, even secular writers in the national media started a chorus of Modi devil, Mohan Bhagwat angel song. ‘Bhagat snubbed modi’, ‘Bhagat advised him to accept collective responsibility’, ‘The RSS is for course correction’ and so on were their themes. In the social media also this theme made rounds.

Fruit Orchards Face Increasing Threat From Indiscriminate Introduction of Exotic Species

by Bharat Dogra

https://countercurrents.org/2021/07/fruit-orchards-face-increasing-threat-from-indiscriminate-introduction-of-exotic-species/

In many fruit orchards exotic species are being introduced arbitrarily with a view to improving yields and income. However in the hurry to achieve these objectives it is often forgotten that exotic species can also lead to the introduction of new pests and predators as well as leading to extensive damage to native species.