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Latest podcast - Australia on fire: facing the climate crisis
Next SWP meeting - all welcome
“Iran: Imperialism and the threat of war”
7 pm Thursday 16th JanuaryRestore building, Manzil Way East Oxford, OX4 1YH (map)
US president Donald Trump was threatening yet more major acts of war in the Middle East following the assassination of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani. Trump threatened that the US could attack Iran “very fast and very hard” if it retaliated for the murder. He said some of the targets the US had in its sites—as many as 52—were “at a very high level and important to Iran and Iranian culture.” Trump’s threats came after a US air strike on Baghdad airport in Iraq killed Soleimani early last Friday. It was a major escalation of Trump’s offensive against Iran in the Middle East—and could trigger a round of violence that could spiral into a war across the region.
What is behind the latest drive to war? Can a mass movement be built to resist it? Come and join the discussion.
Climate catastrophe, war, racism and Boris Johnson – get ready for 2020!
Less than two weeks into 2020 and it is clear it’s going to be an eventful year. It has begun with Australia on fire and Jakarta in Indonesia under water. We are potentially seeing areas of the globe becoming uninhabitable and there are already plans to relocate Jakarta – an urban area of 30 million people. As a Jakarta resident says in an interview with Socialist Worker here “It is the poor that suffer most”. Over the next few months our work in the climate movements will be crucial – building for the next climate strikes, being involved in XR and looking ahead to a mass movement at the COP 26 talks in Glasgow. See below for more details.
Following the US assassination of Iranian general Qassem Suleimani, fears of retaliation and war escalated over the last week. Thousands marched on Saturday in London and on local protests around the country called by the STWC in opposition to war. See the SW article here. Iran and the US may have stepped back from the brink – for now – after Iran launched face saving missile strikes on US bases but the tensions have not disappeared. And Iran’s shooting down of a passenger plane leading to the deaths of many civilians has fuelled anger towards the regime from inside Iran.
With a clear majority of 80 in the Commons Boris Johnson and the Tories can now ram through legislation. It is clear that there will be an increase of state racism. They have already dropped the commitment to family reunion for child refugees – something opposed by Lord Dubs and many others. The Tories intend to introduce an Australian style “points based” immigration system. With Brexit negotiations ongoing the lives of hundreds of thousands of EU nationals will remain in limbo. The Tory government also intends to give wider power to the police – leaving BME communities open to increased harassment eg, through stop and search and Prevent.
The SUTR demonstrations in London and Glasgow on 21 March are a crucial response to Johnson’s racism. See the section below for more information.
However there are signs of some of the problems and issues Johnson will face including increased constitutional pressures. Around 80,000 people marched through the rain in Glasgow on Saturday calling for Independence on a demo organised by All Under One Banner. See the SW article here. Many more such protests are planned throughout the year and will increase pressure for a second referendum on independence. For details see here.
And there is also resistance in the workplace – UCU are likely to have more strikes starting in February (see below for details) and there are two dates of action by CWU in Bootle in response to the sacking of reps who took action against racism.
So from tackling climate change to challenging racism, fighting for independence, opposing war and building strike solidarity there is a lot for the SWP to get involved in. That means that every branch needs to prioritise what it is doing. Having a functioning branch committee where comrades can discuss strategically the work in the area is crucial to this. If your branch does not have one then it needs to set one up and involve not only the comrades with branch jobs but those also engaged in the climate and anti racism movements.
Campaign for action on climate change
In the New Year we can expect the school student strikes to continue and a new rebellion in the spring by Extinction Rebellion. We need a push to engage local trade unions in supporting these fights and building campaigns in their workplaces.
To join Oxford Extinction Rebellion and find out more about their activities visit www.xroxford.org
XR General meeting - 7 PM Cheney school
contact@oxfordstanduptoracism.org.uk
Never Again - Lessons of the Holocaust exhibition.
Saturday 18th January until Monday 27th January 2020. Oxford Town Hall, St Aldates
Open 10-5 daily. Closed Sunday
18th - 27th January , Oxford Town Hall, OX1 1BX - Free entry
Never Again - lessons from the Holocaust educational exhibition meeting timetable:
with
Craig Simmons, Lord mayor of Oxford
Naomi Clayden, Oxford Jewish Congregation
Cllr Dr. Hosnieh Djafari-Marbini City Council migrant champion
& Stand Up To Racism
Immediately after the opening rally Tania Gessi, Project co-ordinator, Roma Support Group will speak about the accounts of Roma survivors of the Holocaust.
We will have "Roma Stories" exhibition for us to display on Saturday 18th January.
Anneliese Dodds MP
Penny Faust, Oxford Jewish Congregation
Colette Levy, hidden child from Vichy, France
Roger McKenzie, Assistant General Secretary UNISON
Weyman Bennett, co-convenor Stand Up to Racism
Rabyah Khan, Chair Oxford and District Labour party
The exhibition will run from 18th-27th January in the Long Room, Oxford Town Hall. Opening times: 10-5pm Saturdays, 10-6pm Monday – Friday, Closed Sunday
For more information visit the exhibition facebook page
If you can help distribute flyers on our stalls, in your workplace, school or college or advertise the event on your workplace intranet please let us know.
The Oxford Stand Up To Racism “Never Again - lessons of the Holocaust” educational exhibition is supported by:
Oxford Jewish Congregation, Oxford City Council, Oxford Unite Against Fascism, Oxford Love Music Hate Racism, Oxfordshire UNISON Health Branch, Oxford & District Trades Council, CWU South Central Postal, Oxford Unite SE/6232, PCS DWP Oxon and Bucks, Oxfordshire County UNISON, Oxfordshire NEU, Henley CLP, Kidlington and Yarnton branch Labour Party
February 8 Stand Up To Racism Workplace & trade union conference
Johnson has already set the tone with new attacks on migrant workers and travellers. His government will continue to ramo upo racism to divide opposition to Tory austerity attacks.
March 21st - March Against Racism - for a #WorldAgainstRacism will see hundreds of thousands mobilise around the world against the rise of raicsm and the far right.
Follow worldagainstracism.org for updates on the international plans for #M21.
Book your seat on the Oxford coach to the London demonstration online here