Global Left Midweek – February 21, 2024

In defense of humanity

Portside
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At Rio’s carnival, a samba school’s performance resonated with themes of defiance, morphing into a rallying cry for Yanomami ethnicity and the Amazon rainforest, their ancestral home. Credit, LatinAmerican Post
  1. Rafah: Eye of the Storm
  2. Network in Defense of Humanity
  3. Online Feminism in China
  4. African Fronts
  5. Opposition to Modi
  6. Colombia: Petro Faces Rightist Coup
  7. Political Context of Gaza Crisis
  8. Ukraine Activism
  9. Indigenous Parade at Rio Carnival
  10. Canada: Students Walk Out for Trans Rights

 

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Rafah: Eye of the Storm

Al Jazeera

Thousands of people have taken to the streets around the world to protest against the war in Gaza as Israel pledges to go forward with its offensive in Rafah in southern Gaza. In London, approximately 250,000 people took part in the protest demanding a ceasefire in Gaza, according to the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC).

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Network in Defense of Humanity

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Laura Mor / Resumen Latinoamericano in English (Buenos Aires)

The Network in Defense of Humanity (REDH) held a forum which brought together 92 leading intellectuals, and academics from 35 countries at the Palace of the Conventions in Havana. REDH member Omar González emphasized the role of unity within the left, starting from common objectives beyond differences. 

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Online Feminism in China

Chen Yaya / Reading the China Dream (Montreal)

After twenty years of existence, the only real space available for Chinese feminism is online.  The Chinese state has shut down even innocuous examples of activism like the Feminist Five and allows – some would say encourages – the online presence of anti-feminist groups, men who attack feminists for being “lazy sluts,” among other things. 

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African Fronts

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Opposition to Modi

Harish Khare / The Wire (New Delhi)

Though the Supreme Court’s ruling on electoral bonds does provide a shot in the arm to the Opposition parties, the need for the regrouping of democratic forces was never more urgent and obvious. The objective conditions for a democratic “resistance” are all too evident. The non-BJP leaders across the country have to understand the stakes and revive in earnest the “opposition unity” project. 

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Colombia: Petro Faces Rightist Coup

Carlos Cruz Mosquera / Jacobin

Colombia’s elites enjoyed a monopoly over the state for 200 consecutive years, up until 20 months ago. It's no surprise to see them obstruct the left-wing President Gustavo Petro’s administration. Along with misinformation campaigns to and blocking of policies in Congress, there have also been more direct and sophisticated strategies to overthrow the progressive project.

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Political Context of Gaza Crisis

Joel Beinin / New Politics (New York)

There are two peoples in Israel/Palestine. Neither one of them is going anywhere. Whatever resolution of the conflict there will be must be based on full equality of both peoples and all individuals who live between the river and the sea.

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Ukraine Activism

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Indigenous Parades at Rio Carnival

LatinAmerican Post (Bogotá)

Amidst the vibrant chaos of Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival, Salgueiro’s homage to the Yanomami culture captivated audiences, shedding light on their struggle for survival amidst genocide and recent famine. Salgueiro, one of Brazil’s renowned samba schools, took center stage to entertain and shed light on a tale of resilience, survival, and the relentless fight against adversity.

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Canada: Students Walk Out for Trans Rights

Wallis Snowdon / CBC News (Ottawa)

Hundreds of Alberta students staged classroom walkouts to protest the provincial government’s planned policies around transgender youth. The walkouts are the latest in a string of demonstrations decrying the proposed policies. The United Conservative provincial government seeks to bring in restrictions on youth changing their names or pronouns at school, and getting gender-affirming surgery.