The Rohingya Exodus

IT has been one of the biggest crises to hit the region since the exodus of Vietnamese boat people in the 1970's. The sight of helpless Rohingya refugees packed in rickety boats floating on the high seas with nowhere to go has finally grabbed the attention of the international community. In the first fortnight of May, hundreds of Rohingya refugees were found abandoned in the waters off the coast of Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Thousands more remain unaccounted for.

The Fall of Ramadi

THE fall of Ramadi on May 17 has been the biggest military and political setback suffered by the Iraqi government since the fall of Mosul last year. Now the Islamic State (IS) is in full control of two major cities in Iraq. The fall of Ramadi coincided with the capture of the Palmyra in neighbouring Syria by the IS. Approximately half of Syria's territory is now in the hands of the IS. Now with the capture of Ramadi, a large part of Iraq is also now under the sway of the terror outfit which styles itself an Islamic Caliphate.

Centennial Commemoration of Armenian Genocide:

THE centennial commemoration to mark the mass killings of Armenians was observed in many parts of the world on April 24. In Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, there was a solemn ceremony attended by world leaders, including the Russian and French presidents. Armenians all over the world remember the killings and mass deportations of Armenians from Turkey a hundred years ago as “the great calamity”. The Armenian government as well as the Armenian diaspora have been working tirelessly to make the international community recognise the terrible fate that had befallen their people.

Warm Welcome to Yechury in London

A PUBLIC reception was organised in Southall of west London on July 12 to welcome newly-elected CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury to the UK. The Association of Indian Communists and the Indian Workers’ Association (Great Britain) organised the event at the Dominion Centre, in collaboration with the Friends of CPI and other Left groups. More than 200 people attended the programme defying torrential downpour.

ICWA to Observe Harkishan Singh Surjeet Birth Centenary on July 25

THE Indo Canadian Workers Association of Canada held a public meeting in Surrey, Canada on June 21. This public meeting was to remember and pay tributes to the Victims of 1985 Air India flight no 182 bombing and two baggage handlers at Tokyo Airport.

Surinder Sangha, the president of ICWA and Jinny Sims, MP were the main speakers. It was a full hall meeting. Several members from the victims family came to attend and shared their emotional feelings who have been waiting for justice even after 30 years.

Yechury Visits London

SITARAM Yechury, general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) visited London to attend a series of meetings organised there. On July 11, he attended two meetings organised by the Association of Indian Communists and Indian Workers Association, Great Britain. On the 12th he took part in the public reception organised by these two associations in collaboration with Friends of CPI and other Left democratic organisations. He took part in many other programmes and solidarity events organised by the supporters of the CPI(M) and the Left during the course of his visit to the UK.

Seminar on Life & Philosophy of Commandante Che Guevara

ON July 10, Friends of Latin America – India, organised a seminar at State Youth Centre, Moulali in Kolkata titled “Celebrating the Life and Philosophy of Commandante Che Guevara” on the occasion of Che Guevara’s 87th birth anniversary. Secretary of Friends of America – India, Suman Putatunda, started the programme by mentioning the prominent thinker and intellectual Jean-Paul Satre’s famous comment on Che that he is not only a great revolutionary but also the most complete human being.

Seventh BRICS Summit & its Declarations

THE Seventh BRICS Summit was held in Ufa, Russia, on July 9, under the presidency of Russia. The summit has adopted eight documents, together with the regular 'Ufa Declaration'. The theme for this year's summit was: 'BRICS Partnership – a Powerful Factor of Global Development'.

Palestine: Reversal of Stand

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statements on July 4.

THE Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) condemns the government of India's abstention from a UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) vote for adoption of a UN Inquiry Commission report on Israel's attack on Gaza, Palestine, last year.

An End to the Blackmail

In a landmark speech, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras announces that a referendum will be held on the Troika bailout deal. The following is the text of the speech.

FOR six months now the Greek government has been waging a battle in conditions of unprecedented economic suffocation to implement the mandate you gave us on January 25.

The mandate we were negotiating with our partners was to end the austerity and to allow prosperity and social justice to return to our country.

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