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> Mon., May. 1, 2006
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
Day Without Immigrants
Dynamics of Migration
Street Vendors Fight for Justice
France Marks May Day
Kashmiri Violence
Protest to End Genocide in Darfur
Military Raids of Falluja Schools
NYC Anti-war Rally
FSRN Headlines
IMMIGRANT BOYCOTTS
Immigrant workers and their supporters are participating in
a massive boycott in dozens of cities throughout the US today.
Dubbed "A day without an immigrant", organizers
are calling for a day of "no work, no school, and no
shopping". Solidarity actions have spread to Mexico,
with strike supporters boycotting, and in some cases blockading,
US-based transnational restaurants and retail outlets. We'll
have reports from the streets later in the newscast.
SRI LANKA CALLS OFF MAY DAY EVENTS
Sri Lanka canceled May Day celebrations for the first time
in its history in the midst of escalating violence that threatens
a 4 year old truce between the government and the Tamil Tiger
rebels. Hundreds of soldiers and civilians have been killed
in attacks and counter-attacks in the past few weeks. Ponniah
Manikavasagam reports from Sri Lanka.
Sri Lankan political parties refrained from participating
in May Day rallies and public meetings, as a claymore explosion
rocked the eastern port city of Trincomalee, killing a sailor
and 4 civilians. Government officials said politicians canceled
May Day functions suspecting large gatherings could be targeted
by Tamil Tiger rebels for suicide bomb attacks. The Sri Lankan
Army Commander who was seriously wounded in a suspected rebel
suicide bomb attack last week is said to be recovering. That
attack killed 11 people in the highly secured army headquarters
in capital Colombo last Tuesday. Meanwhile, the rebels declared
May Day a day of mourning and organized protest campaigns,
blaming the government for the recent deaths of over 100 Tamil
civilians in the north and east of the country. For Free Speech
Radio News, I am Ponniah Manikavasagam from Vavuniya, Sri
Lanka.
POSSIBILITY FOR PEACE IN DARFUR?
The parties involved in the crisis in Sudan's Darfur region
have failed to meet an African Union and United Nations deadline
to reach a peace deal to end the conflict which has claimed
more than 200,000 lives. Sam Olukoya reports from Lagos.
The African Union and United Nations set the end of April
as the deadline for representatives of the Sudanese government
and those of two rebel groups holding peace talks in Nigeria
to reach an agreement. The Sudanese government has agreed
to sign a last minute AU draft peace agreement. But the two
rebel groups refused to sign it. They said it fell short of
their demand for greater representation in government. Although
the deadline for a peace deal has been extended by another
48 hours, it is unclear if there will be a breakthrough. The
peace talks have been going on in the last two years. More
than three million people face starvation as a result of the
conflict. International peace makers insist there is an urgent
need to end the conflict in order to halt the humanitarian
crisis. For Free Speech Radio News, this is Sam Olukoya in
Lagos.
CHANGES TO PLANS FOR THE SEPARATION WALL, RAIDS IN THE WEST
BANK
The Israeli government decided yesterday to speed up the construction
of its controversial West Bank Separation Wall after approving
changes to its route. The new route will extend deep into
the West Bank, putting tens of thousands of settlers on the
Israeli side of the Wall and isolating thousands of the Palestinians
in villages near Jerusalem from the city. The decision was
announced yesterday as Israel launched raids on locations
throughout the West Bank. Manar Jibrin reports.
Israeli army troops shot and killed, Itaf Zalat (45), a mother
of five, during an invasion of the West Bank city of Tulkarem
this morning the soldiers say they were looking for a wanted
Islamic Jihad operative. Abu Mohammad, Itaf's husband, describes
what happened. "When the soldiers opened fire, my wife
and I were sitting in the kitchen by the window, our two daughters
were sitting one meter away. When the shooting stopped, one
of the girls started screaming, my hand, my hand, I went to
check my daughter and I found a hole in her arm and the bones
were crushed. I covered the wound with my hand to stop the
bleeding, then my other girl yelled at me saying look at my
mother. I turned to my wife and found her neck bent on her
shoulder and she was dead." In the past 24 hours, Israeli
troops carried out raids in the West Bank cities of Nablus,
Hebron and Bethlehem arresting total of 40 people. For FSRN
from IMEMC.Org in Palestine this is Manar Jibrin.
GOVERNMENT INTERVENES IN AT&T LAWSUIT
The federal government has intervened in a class-action lawsuit
brought against AT&T. Cristina Aanestad reports from San
Francisco.
The federal government filed a motion on Friday to dismiss
the Electronic Frontier Foundation's class action lawsuit
against AT&T. The electronic civil rights group alleges
AT&T broke the Federal Telecommunications Act and Electronic
Communications Privacy Act by giving the National Security
Agency access to the telephone and internet records of millions
of AT&T's clients. But the federal government has intervened,
seeking a dismissal of the suit, arguing the the government's
military and state secrets privilege "permits the government
to protect against the unauthorized disclosure in litigation
of information that may harm national security interests,".
The Electronic Frontier Foundation has vowed to fight the
motion. A hearing on the government's motion to dismiss the
AT&T lawsuit is scheduled for May 17th. For FSRN, I'm
Christina Aanestad in San Francisco.
[top]
Day Without Immigrants (2:07)
On this International Workers Day, immigrants and supporters
in the United States celebrated by boycotting work and consumerism
to highlight the contributions of immigrants. This comes as
Congress is stalled in crafting legislation that would determine
their future status. The most extreme bill which has been
received with large protests and staunch opposition by immigrant
rights advocates, is HR 4437 which would make a person without
papers a felon. FSRN will explore several elements of this
polarizing debate. But first, we take you to cities around
the country where protests and boycotts are taking place on
this Day Without Immigrants.
[top]
Dynamics of Migration (3:44)
As we focus on immigrants, their struggles and their battles
today, Free Speech Radio News correspondent Luz Ruíz
who is in Tijuana Mexico, takes a look at the economic conditions
that has lead to the northward migration patterns.
[top]
Street Vendors Fight for Justice (2:10)
As people migrate to the US many immigrant workers are finding
themselves in industries where major labor unions are not
helping organize for worker rights, including taxi drivers,
domestic workers and street vendors just to name a few. In
New York, Street vendors, who are a distinct part of the city's
culture and who are mostly made up of immigrant workers, face
constant harassment from police and are often times levied
1,000 dollar fines for conducting business in the city's biggest
shopping areas. But street vendors are fighting back. Bilal
Moran, of the Community News Production, reports.
[top]
France Marks May Day (3:34)
Tens of thousands joined traditional May Day parades in
France's major towns and cities today. Morale was high after
workers' and students' unions inflicted a major defeat on
the government by forcing it to withdraw its unpopular youth
employment scheme, the C-P-E. Labour leaders promised more
protests to come. Tony Cross reports from Paris.
[top]
Kashmiri Violence (1:55)
In other news, Guerrillas are suspected to have killed at
least 35 Hindus in Indian-administered Kashmir today. The
massacre comes two days ahead of talks between Indian Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh and the moderate faction of Kashmiri
Separatist alliance Shanawaz Khan reports.
[top]
Protest to End Genocide in Darfur (2:09)
A massive crowd gathered on the national mall in Washington
D.C. on Sunday to show support for ending genocide in the
western Sudanese area of Darfur. Maria Callier has more from
the nation's capital.
[top]
Military Raids of Falluja Schools (2:13)
Today Iraqi President Jalal Talabani says he recently met
the representatives of seven armed groups and is optimistic
that they may agree to lay down their arms. Today does mark
the third year anniversary since President Bush announced
mission accomplished in Iraq. Meanwhile, reports indicates
that US military raids are being conducted in schools in Falluja.
Salam Talib of FSRN reports.
[top]
NYC Anti-war Rally (2:02)
Three hundred thousand people marched in NYC on Saturday
against the war in Iraq, and threatened U.S. military action
against Iran. Other, related issues were also high on the
agenda. FSRN's Melinda Tuhus reports.
[top]
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