Tuesday, January 1, 2002

• Against Oblivion: On the Eighth Anniversary of the Zapatista Uprising

  
  

  On January 1, 1994 ­ 8 years ago ­ the Zapatistas staged an uprising in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas. Therebellion happened as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) went into effect. The uprising provided atremendous boost and inspiration to the then burgeoning movement against corporate globalization. Early last year,the Zapatisas caravanned from the jungles of Chiapas to the heart of Mexico City retracing the steps of EmilianoZapata. Today, in the post-September 11 world, the Zapatistas, like many groups and people across the globe, face anew reality.

• Noam Chomsky Ushers in the New Year with Democracy Now! in Exile

  
  

  2001 was a year that saw the world’s richest country attacking one of the world’s poorest countries. Since Octoberthousands of Afghans have perished at the hands of US bombs. The country remains littered with unexploded clustermunitions, some of which are identical in color to the Pentagon’s so-called humanitarian food rations. In Kabul, anew Washington-backed government has replaced the Taliban. This government ­ hailed as the first step toward ademocratic Afghanistan ­ is made up largely of war lords; many of them documented human rights violators, some ofthem accused by major human rights groups of conducting mass executions of thousands of civilians over the lastdecade. And despite the change of government to one publicly favored by Washington, the US bombing continues. Justthis past weekend, US warplanes attacked villages in eastern Afghanistan reportedly killing some 100 civilians.

• Edward Said Ushers in the New Year with Democracy Now! in Exile

  
  

  Guest:

  • Edward Said, professor of comparative literature, Columbia University and author of numerous books,articles, and essays. He has been an eloquent voice for justice throughout the Palestinian struggle.