Short Takes: News From All Over
March 2007
Staff Utne.com
Amazon Tribe Sues Texaco for $6 Billion
By Mariana Sanchez, Al Jazeera
What was once a pristine piece of the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest
is now an ecological disaster site, invaded by what Al
Jazeera describes as, 'open-air pits that ooze toxic sludge.'
The oil company Texaco has admitted to dumping 18 billion gallons
of pollutants (30 times the amount of crude spilled by the Exxon
Valdez) into an Amazonian swamp and river system where members of
an indigenous tribe known as the Cofan obtain their water. The
Cofan are seeking $6 billion in clean-up costs. -- Natalie
Hudson
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/74412E3C-AEDD-475C-91E0-C6EE7B84B792.htm
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'It's Outright War and Both Sides Are Choosing Their
Weapons'
Arundhati Roy interviewed by Shoma Chaudhury,
Tehelka
From many vantages, including those of the state and guerrilla
fighters, the political and social landscape of India is bursting
with resistance and violence. In an interview with
Tehelka, acclaimed novelist and activist Arundhati Roy
offers a harsh critique of the current situation in her native
country. She tells of the military occupation, civil war, mass
starvation, and deforestation that she has seen in her travels
across India. The government appears unmotivated by civil
disobedience and, according to Roy, revolutionary groups are 'the
only people making a dent' in the immense injustice. (Thanks,
Common
Dreams) -- Natalie Hudson
http://www.tehelka.com/story_main28.asp?filename=Ne310307Its_outright_CS.asp
It Could Have Been Me
By Elton John, TheNew Statesman
The day after his 60th birthday, Elton John released a plea in the
New Statesman to support homosexual rights across the
globe. He cites the suffering of gay people in El Salvador, Uganda,
and India who have been beaten, harassed, threatened, and arrested.
'Gay sex is criminalised in more than 80 countries,' writes the
famous pop musician, and homophobia still greatly impacts health
education. John urges, 'whether the bigot is in our local pub or a
thousand miles away, we should all stand up and speak out for basic
human rights.' -- Natalie Hudson
http://www.newstatesman.com/200703260025