New fangled technologies and activism

Political activism has been in the news more in the last year than in all the years since the 2003 Iraq war. Revolutions in the Arab world, occupations in America and beyond, and student protests and social unrest in the UK have all been hailed as ‘social networking revolutions’. To understand the importance of information [...]

Support the uprising in Libya – no to Gaddafi and no to NATO airstrikes.

The frontpages of the Sunday papers could have been taken from a Chris Morris sketch – IT’S WAR, TOP GUNS 1 – MAD DOG 0, and HUGE STRIKE ON GADDAFI (where they also reveal the shock news that a black person has been on Midsomer Murders). After years of feeling a bit dodgy and awkward [...]

Another one bites the dust…

Another scalp for the pro-democracy and workers movement that’s sweeping the middle east – Tunisian Prime Minister Ghannouchi has resigned after thousands took to the street demanding he quit. It’s the second bastard deposed from office by Tunisa’s people, Ghannouchi took over after corrupt President Ben Ali was kicked out a couple of months ago. [...]

Aaron Porter gone, Bill Aitken resigns, Gaddafi on his way out…

It’s been a bad day for the enemies of SSY.ORG.UK – and today we take part in our ritual of revelling in the demise of BASTARDS. Top of the list (although probably not the most evil, Gaddafi still just squeezes by) is sellout Blairite careerist Aaron Porter. Porty’s announced he will not stand for another [...]

Algeria, Bahrain, Libya, Iran, Yemen…

If you’ve just booked a holiday in the middle east, you’re a bit fucked. That’s one way of interpreting the news coverage from across the Arab world. Another, slightly more upbeat way to interpret it is that we are witnessing the resurgence of workers rights all across the middle east in revolts which aren’t about [...]

"Transition to Freedom"? Egypt and Democracy

The mass uprising in Egypt has focused the world’s attention on the discontent within many Arab socieities. In a frenzy of political and media commentary on the growing wave of protests and mass insurrections, one of the buzzwords has been “democracy”: the Egyptian people want it, “Western” commentators want it; even the Egyptian generals seem to [...]

Hosni Mubarak – denial is more than just a river in revolutionary Egypt…

After over two weeks of protests, streetfighting, strikes and riots in Egypt today was supposed to be Mubarak’s endgame. The military announced that “all your demands would be met” and the head of Mubarak’s party the NDP said that Mubarak should go. But in his Presidential address Mubarak stubbornly refused to face reality and resign, [...]

Even the weans know – Mubarak is finished.

Hot on the heels of the overthrow of the corrupt Tunisian dictator Ben Ali, an unexpected popular uprising is well underway in Egypt – the most populous Arab country, and politically the most important. Just a few weeks ago, it would have been difficult to believe the dictator of Egypt who has ruled the country [...]

Tunisia at a crossroads

Few could have predicted how rapidly events would unfold in Tunisia over the past few days. A repressive dictatorship, with any public display of dissent rare and fear of the police widespread, the country has been rocked by mass protests over the past month, as we reported last week. Initially an uprising of urban youth over [...]

North Africa in Revolt

An explosion of popular protest has broken out in North Africa over the past few weeks, with anti-government demonstrations and riots continuing in both Tunisia and Algeria. Localised unrest first began in Tunisia in mid-December, sparked by the attempted suicide of 26-year old graduate Mohamed Bouazizi, who set himself alight outside a government building in protest [...]