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Read the latest news and analysis from Alternatives International!
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9 July 2014, by
A Call from the Iraqi Social Forum
A call from the Iraqi Social Forum to civil society groups and social movements inside and outside Iraq for positive and constructive social action: Baghdad 09/07/2014 Our country, Iraq, is (…) -
8 July 2014, by
The Peoples’ Social Forum
Will the largest gathering of activists in years succumb to the left’s culture of complaint, self-victimization, and fracture, or can platforms for renewed organizing and real strategizing emerge (…) -
3 July 2014, by
“This is Campaign of Collective Punishment”
The past 24 hours have brought about an unprecedented explosion of settler aggression against Palestinians throughout the West Bank and Jerusalem, says Dr. Mustafa Barghouti of the Palestinian (…) -
16 June 2014, by
Israeli Army Operation Against Palestinian Unity Government
Israeli security officials have yet to confirm that three Israeli teenage settlers who went missing on Thursday night were in fact kidnapped. Regardless, the Israeli political and military (…) -
13 June 2014, by
How did Extremists Take Over one of Iraq’s Biggest Cities in Just Five Days?
Inside Mosul: how did extremists take over one of iraq’s biggest cities in just five days? From the first suicide bombings to an attack on the next province, it has only taken Sunni Muslim (…) -
11 June 2014, by
Alan Dershowitz: BDS a Strategic Threat to Israel in the Long Term
One of Israel’s staunchest defenders abroad on Tuesday warned that the Boycott, Divestment and Sanction movement could pose a strategic threat to the country in the future. Speaking at the (…) -
9 June 2014, by
How Racism, Hysteria and Militarism are Gripping Israel
The return visit from far right Israeli politician Moshe Feiglin to Toronto, where he called for an exclusivist Jewish state, minus the indigenous Arab population, sparked barely a whimper of (…) -
4 June 2014, by
Keynote Speakers Withdraw In Reaction To BDS Calls!
Recent success of the BDS movement in deterring leading academics from participating in Israeli conferences is a marked move forward in removing academic respectability from Israeli institutions, (…) -
4 June 2014, by
Self-Determination As Anti-Extractivism: How Indigenous Resistance Challenges World Politics
Indigeneity is an unusual way to think about International Relations (IR). Most studies of world politics ignore Indigenous perspectives, which are rarely treated as relevant to thinking about the (…) -
3 June 2014, by
New Palestinian Government Sworn In
The Palestinian national consensus government was sworn in on Monday at the presidential headquarters in Ramallah. The ceremony was made possible after obstacles the negotiations towards an agreed (…) -
27 May 2014, by
Narendra Modi and the New Face of India
With the rise of Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi culminating in this week’s election, Pankaj Mishra asks if the world’s largest democracy is entering its most sinister period since independence (…) -
26 May 2014, by
The Promise, and Peril, of Modi’s Mandate
If the struggle of Narendra Modi for power is the struggle of forgetting over memory, his victory represents a collective leap towards an uncertain future. Mr Modi’s remarkable election (…) -
25 May 2014, by
“India Has No Option But To Colonise Itself.”- Arundhati Roy
In Pakistan, apprehensions are rife about Narendra Modi’s flamboyant success. But fervent Modi supporters in the Indian middle classes prefer to place him in the economic governance arena. Dawn (…) -
21 May 2014, by
India: A Vote of Despair
The landslide victory of the BJP and the meteoric rise of Narendra Modi as a populist leader have stunned a large number of secular and liberal analysts in India and elsewhere. They were in (…) -
20 May 2014, by
Narendra Modi: Man of the Masses
Modi, implicated in a massacre in 2002 while chief minister of Gujarat, has been elected as India’s new prime minister. Is he a dangerous neo-fascist, as some say, or the strongman reformer that (…) -
14 May 2014, by
If Narendra Modi Wins …
What can India and the world expect if Narendra Modi, the self-styled “Hindu nationalist” who is front-runner in the elections, ends up winning a plurality of seats when results are declared on (…) -
7 May 2014
Saving the Climate, Booting Out Harper and Changing the World
The decision concerning the development of Northern Gateway’s pipeline will be revealed sometime during the first week of June. It’s safe to say that no one is waiting with bated breath. Everyone (…) -
2 May 2014, by
May Day in Istanbul a Battle Ground
After the people’s revolt last summer, after the immense crisis of the state caused by the breakup of the Islamic power bloc in December 2013, after the local elections that gave a new lease on (…) -
14 April 2014, by
Non Inclusive Growth and A Divisive Social Perspective: The Untold Story of Gujarat
The current ruling coalition’s inability or failure to manage the Indian Economy is a point of discussion in the recent political commentaries. Attention is also being drawn to specific policies (…) -
13 April 2014, by
The Marriage Of Arrogance And Ignorance - Modi’s Victory Could Unleash Terror By Hindu Outfits
If a BJP-led administration does come to power in the current election, democratic and progressive institutions are likely to face attack on two fronts. One line of attack would be directed by (…) -
10 April 2014, by
If Modi Wins the Election, India Will Have Crossed a Moral Rubicon
The world’s media regard it as a postcolonial success story – a functioning democracy that has managed to remain formally pluralist and inclusive – and describe the spectacle of India’s vast (…) -
7 April 2014, by
‘Palestine is Paradise’ – Interview with Leila Khaled
FRANK BARAT: How are you Leila? What are you doing nowadays in Amman? Leila Khaled: I am fine as long as I am a part of the struggle for freedom, for our right of return and for an independent (…) -
6 April 2014, by
Shrinking Base: The Left is Painting Itself Into a Corner
India’s Left parties, among the world’s biggest parties belonging to the Communist tradition, face a huge crisis as the Lok Sabha election approaches. The election will largely decide if they can (…) -
4 April 2014, by
Arundhati Roy: Change Media Ownership Laws
Indian political activist Arundhati Roy was recently in Vancouver for a speaking engagement. The acclaimed author, who won the 1998 Man Booker Prize for fiction with her inaugural novel The God of (…) -
2 April 2014, by
Asking the Hard Questions about Israel
Amid floundering peace talks, Jewish artists, historians, and activists are taking an increasingly critical look at Israel’s founding and history. In 1948, the village of Tantura fell within (…) -
5 March 2014, by
The Academic Boycott of Israel Demands Freedom for All
Monday March 3rd marked the start of Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW) 2014 on campuses across Canada. 2014 is an especially important year for IAW in Canada because it is an opportunity to hear a (…) -
14 February 2014, by
John Kerry’s Mideast Peace Deal is a Disaster
If United States Secretary of State John Kerry fails in his efforts, it will be a disaster; if he succeeds, it will be an even greater disaster. Failure is liable to herald what New York Times (…) -
10 February 2014, by
India’s Missing Women
Even though fair elections are held at regular intervals for State Assemblies and Parliament, they do not reflect the true consent of the people because a large number of women are missing from (…) -
4 February 2014, by
Ein Hijleh: Army Attempts To Take Over Revived Village
A large number of Israeli army and border police officers who stormed the revived Jordan Valley village of Ein Hijleh several times were confronted by residents of the village. Israeli troops shot (…) -
12 January 2014, by
Sharon: Didn’t’ Stop At Red, But Knew Where He Wanted To Go
It Does Not Stop at a Red Light is the title of a (bad) Sharon biography, written in the wake of Israel’s 1982 attack on Lebanon. Sharon ’s biography is that of a fighter who has no qualms, (…) -
21 décembre 2013, par
People’s Social Forum in 2014 and the World Social Forum in 2016
While expressing support for the idea of eventually holding a World Social Forum (WSF) in Montreal, the board of Alternatives nonetheless spoke out against the project to hold one in 2015. This (…) -
16 décembre 2013, par
Alternatives does not support the idea of holding a WSF 2015 in Montreal
At its last meeting in October 2013, the Board of Alternatives, after a debate that allowed all views to be expressed, agreed, unequivocally, not to support the draft World Social Forum (WSF) in (…) -
4 December 2013, by
Solidarity Saved Me from Hitler: Now it Must Save Palestine
The following talk was given by Suzanne Weiss to Solidarity for Palestine Human Rights at the University of Western Ontario on November 20, 2013. Her talk examines Canada’s insertion into the (…) -
2 December 2013, by
Massive Fraud, Intimidation and Vote Buying in Honduras
On Sunday, November 24, Hondurans voted. Eight candidates contested for president. Only two mattered. LIBRE party (Liberty and Refoundation) candidate Xiomara Castro challenged ruling National (…) -
26 November 2013, by
A Saudi-Israeli Defeat on Iran Deal
The Saudi-Israeli alliance hoped to sink a deal between Iran and world powers that limits but doesn’t end Iran’s nuclear program, so the deal’s signing in Geneva is both a defeat for that new (…) -
25 November 2013, by
Internet in the Age of Mass-Surveillance: The Domestic Dimension
In the wake of the shocking revelations about the covert cyber-surveillance programme PRISM, run by the National Security Agency of the United States, the time is ripe for an evaluation of the (…) -
25 November 2013, by
Israel-Palestine: Enough Negotiations Already!
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants negotiations with the Palestinians to continue for decades to come. But the Palestinian leadership would be foolish to go along with this charade. (…) -
14 November 2013, by
What is Normalization?
The concept of normalization emerged at the Camp David agreements signed by Egypt and Israel in 1979. The agreements laid the foundation for normalized political, economic, cultural, social and (…) -
7 November 2013, by
Palestinian Left: Needed, Overdue
“The struggle against the Zionist enterprise could last another hundred years; those lacking the stamina should step aside.” George Habash A “new,” representative Left is necessary, free from (…) -
7 November 2013, by
Drone Victims Come Out of the Shadows
New films, reports, and media coverage are finally giving the American public a taste of the personal tragedies involved in the U.S. drone war. At each of the over 200 cities I’ve traveled to (…) -
28 October 2013, by
Toronto Transit Bans “Disappearing Palestine” Ad Claiming Risk of Anti-Jewish Violence
The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) has rejected a group’s bus ad showing Israel’s expropriation of Palestinian land over time, claiming the ad could incite anti-Jewish discrimination and (…) -
24 October 2013, by
Europe’s Ambiguous Relationship With Israel
Europe’s relationship with Israel and its occupation policies is not a straightforward one. The European Union does not acknowledge settlements as legal or part of Israel, yet European companies (…) -
23 October 2013, by
The Canadian Mining Industry Has Now Targeted the European Market
A lobbying with more impact than the result of any election, a direct influence on the structuring of the text of law, a division of the population with the aims of better conquering it, an (…) -
21 October 2013, by
Interview with Nada Alwadi, a Bahraini Journalist
NADA ALWADI was a reporter for Al-Wasat, Bahrain’s most popular daily newspaper and one that has a reputation for independence. Its editor, Dr Mansoor Al-Jamri, was removed from his position (…) -
15 October 2013, by
30 Years of the AIC: Happy Birthday!
Over 150 men and women came to Beit Sahour Saturday night to celebrate the 30thanniversary of the Alternative Information Center. Many Palestinians, of course, but also tens of Israeli activists (…) -
9 October 2013, by
The End of Impunity?
Indigenous Guatemalans bring Canadian mining company to court For the first time, a Canadian mining company will appear in a Canadian court for actions committed overseas. Hudbay Minerals, (…) -
9 October 2013, by
The Obama Doctrine
The recent Obama-Putin tiff over American exceptionalism reignited an ongoing debate over the Obama Doctrine: Is the president veering toward isolationism? Or will he proudly carry the banner of (…) -
4 October 2013, by
At the UN, a Latin American Rebellion
Latin American leaders are reclaiming a right to differentiate their views from Washington’s—and refusing to render it diplomatic tribute. Without a doubt, the 68th UN General Assembly will be (…) -
2 October 2013
Pakistan-India Peoples’ Forum For Peace & Democracy Celebrates 20 Years!!
Press Release: October 2, 2013, New Delhi Completing 20 years of successful people-to-people intellectual and cultural exchanges between India, Pakistan and the disputed region of Jammu & (…) -
25 September 2013, by
The Disease of Short-Termism
How "the end of history" is precipitating the end of the planet. It was famously described as the “end of history.” The collapse of Communism and the victory of liberalism near the end of the (…) -
23 September 2013
Iraqi Social Forum Begins
Another Iraq is possible with peace, human rights and justice! The Iraqi Social Forum (ISF) will be held in Baghdad from 26-28 September 2013, while an extended forum of solidarity activities (…) -
17 September 2013, by
On The Utility Of Labels: Some Reflections on “Anti-Semitism” and “Islamophobia”
The question I want to pose is whether or not labels such as “anti-Semitism” and “Islamophobia” are useful. I will suggest that these labels tend to confuse more than enlighten, and divert from (…) -
17 September 2013, by
Alvida Vinod Raina!
With the passing away of Dr. Vinod Raina today, India has lost one of its most eminent educationist and the person who worked towards the fulfillment of the 21a article in the form of 86th (…) -
13 September 2013, by
Exploring the Responsibility of Our Privilege: On Independent Filmmaking, Ecological Crisis and Human Extinction with Filmmaker Bérangère Maïa N. Parizeau
Environmental catastrophes are scattered across the globe. As they vary in source, scale and impact and are sprouting at an unprecedented frequency, the contentious notion of climate catastrophe (…) -
10 September 2013, by
"Funny Things" on the Way to the War on Syria
Funny things on the way to the War on Syria have been happening ever since the war IN Syria began two and a half years ago, and they just keep piling on. A recent one was US President Barack (…) -
10 September 2013, by
Obama’s Rogue State
The US calls on other nations to abide by the treaties it violates. You could almost pity these people. For 67 years successive US governments have resisted calls to reform the UN Security (…) -
4 September 2013
Dismantle the WTO And the Free Trade Regime
To Confront the Climate Emergency We Need to Dismantle the WTO And the Free Trade Regime Launched in 1995, the World Trade Organization (WTO) completed the Bretton Woods trio with the World (…) -
26 August 2013, by
On Kabul, Take a Wider View
It is in India’s interests to encourage dialogue between Karzai and Sharif Today, Hamid Karzai will call on Nawaz Sharif in Islamabad. Since 2002, Karzai has made 19 trips to Pakistan, but (…) -
22 August 2013, by
Defending The Land, Fighting Injustice: A Solidarity Journey To Barriere Lake
As our convoy of trucks stopped on the gravel road a little boy, not more than four years old, leapt from the box of one of the pick-up trucks. His bare feet hit the ground and he scrambled up (…) -
13 August 2013
Another Iraq is Possible!
Another Iraq is Possible! With Peace, Human Rights and Social Justice! Dear Friends We invite you to attend and seek your support for the first Iraqi Social Forum [ISF] to be held on (…) -
4 August 2013, by
John Kerry’s Doomed Peace Process
Sorry John Kerry: Until negotiations are based not on U.S. support for Israeli power but on international law, the “peace process” will continue to fail. Secretary of State John Kerry’s latest (…) -
31 July 2013
Statement by Julian Assange on Verdict in Bradley Manning Court-Martial
Today Bradley Manning, a whistleblower, was convicted by a military court at Fort Meade of 19 offences for supplying the press with information, including five counts of ’espionage’. He now faces (…) -
30 July 2013, by
Israeli Political Blackmail and the Peace Process
Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, Secretary-General of the Palestinian National Initiative (al-Mubadara), has criticized Israel’s release of 104 Palestinian detainees as a form of political blackmail. In a (…) -
21 July 2013, by
Understanding of The Perils of Governance in a Revolutionary Situation
It’s a small detail of great consequence. On July 3, members of the presidential guard stepped away and let Dr. Mohamed Morsi and his aides be arrested by army commandos. If men with guns and (…) -
19 July 2013, by
EU: Agreements With Israel Don’t Apply to oPt, Golan
European attempts to preempt a widespread boycott on Israel by highlighting its differentiated relations toward Israel and Israeli policies in the territories it occupied during the 1967 war (…) -
15 July 2013, by
’ I Ask For Your Assistance In Requesting Guarantees Of Safe Passage’
This statement was first posted by WikiLeaks, dated today at 5pm Moscow time. Hello. My name is Ed Snowden. A little over one month ago, I had family, a home in paradise, and I lived in great (…) -
8 July 2013, by
On Sheep and Infidels
Before I begin, let me state some facts, so that when people begin the ad hominem attacks they can try to rein them in within the following boundaries: I voted for Mohamed Morsi in the second (…) -
5 July 2013, by
Celebrations and Dangers for Egypt’s Revolutions
The democracy of the street—which 16 months ago led to the overthrow of the longstanding President Hosni Mubarak—is claiming the same kind of people’s victory in the overthrow of Morsi. There (…) -
26 June 2013, by
Is Another Iraq Possible?
As I sit in front of my computer, reading the news about the escalation in violence in Iraq, my heart fills with sadness. According to UN reports, more than a thousand people have been killed in (…) -
20 June 2013, by
Syria: No Win for the West
Nothing illustrates more the limitations of Western power than the internal controversy its elites are having in public about what the United States in particular and western European states (…) -
19 June 2013, by
Report on The Fourth National BDS Conference
On 8 June 2013 the Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC)[1] organized its “Fourth National BDS Conference” at Bethlehem University, under the slogan: “Boycotting Israel and opposing (…) -
14 June 2013, by
Kurdistan: The Next Autocracy?
A haze hangs low over the city of Erbil. Automotive exhaust and dry sand envelop the area, forming an opaque mixture that sunshine struggles to penetrate. The capital of northern Iraq’s Kurdistan (…) -
11 June 2013, by
Why Is Public Money Paying For The Right-Wing Hate And Misinformation Of Eric Duhaime?
Eric Duhaime and his hatred of anything close to the notion of common good is all over the place. On Sun News, Radio X, TVA, and several blogs, we see, hear or read him bashing community groups, (…) -
7 June 2013, by
Sow The Wind In Syria, Reap The Whirlwind In Turkey
It was October 2011. I knew this would be my last evening with the distinguished Turkish journalist, Mehmet Birand, as we looked over the Bosphorus from my hotel in Istanbul. He had been fighting (…) -
7 June 2013, by
Gezi - Analysis of a Protest
“Yaşamak bir ağaç gibi tek ve hür ve bir orman gibi kardeşçesine” “To live like a tree alone and free and like a forest in brotherhood” Nazım Hikmet A brand new movement is unfolding in front (…) -
6 June 2013, by
An Uprising for Dignity
The Gezi Park rebellion is nothing like the Arab Uprisings. It is neither an uprising against a dynasty coiled up as head of state for decades, nor a demand for fair and equal elections against (…) -
5 June 2013, by
Violence of the Oppressed
“the biggest grab of tribal land after Columbus” The chorus of righteous indignation against Maoist violence has made a comeback. The commercial media has returned to baying for the blood of (…) -
2 June 2013, by
On the Question of Capital Punishment
THE decision of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), CPI(M), Central Committee to oppose capital punishment is of great significance. The CPI(M) is the first major political party to have taken (…) -
27 May 2013, by
Why Iniquity of Tony Blair’s Iraq Crimes is on a Par with Woolwich Killing
Iraq is no longer news: the killing of 57 Iraqis in one day was a non-event compared with the murder of a British soldier in London. Yet the two atrocities are connected. The dust in Iraq (…) -
23 May 2013, by
AIC Awarded Follow the Women Prize 2013
The Alternative Information Center (AIC) has been awarded the 2013 Follow the Women Prize for its work on behalf of peace between people through dialogue and reflection. The award is given (…) -
22 May 2013, by
Are We Closer to a Middle East Regional War?
Local and international analysts believe the rising military tensions along the Israel-Syria cease-fire line are an outcome of the ongoing war in Syria and Israeli attempts to block delivery of (…) -
21 May 2013, by
Pakistan Elections: Democracy, Dichotomies, and Shades of Grey
The recent elections in Pakistan show that the country is finally on the right track notwithstanding the rigging, the violence and the brutal prevention of women from voting in some areas by (…) -
19 May 2013, by
“Neo-Colonial Land-Grab”
Last August, Ojulu sat smoking a cigarette outside his thatch-roofed hut in Pino village when a rising tide of water seeped through the reed fence. “The water came in the morning,” Ojulu said, (…) -
16 May 2013, by
Hawking and a Brief History of Boycotts
It is an event "of cosmic proportions", said one Palestinian academic, a befitting description regarding Stephen Hawking’s decision to boycott an Israeli academic conference slated for next June. (…) -
13 May 2013, by
A Good Day For Democracy
May 11, 2013 was an important day for Pakistan and a good day for democracy. My five years old daughter will remember this day when she grows up, not only because it is her birth day but also (…) -
10 May 2013
Interview: Phyllis Bennis on Stephen Hawking
PAUL JAY, SENIOR EDITOR, TRNN: Welcome to The Real News Network. I’m Paul Jay in Baltimore. And welcome to this edition of The Bennis Report with Phyllis Bennis, who now joins us from Washington, (…) -
10 May 2013, by
Naya Pakistan, An Old Fable
The renowned television anchor Quatrina Hosain was in tears. A day after the incident of her being sexually assaulted at a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) jalsa by party workers in Wah (…) -
9 May 2013, by
Stephen Hawking: Furore Deepens over Israel Boycott
The celebrated physicist Stephen Hawking became embroiled in a deepening furore today over his decision to boycott a prestigious conference in Israel in protest over the state’s occupation of (…) -
2 May 2013, by
The U.S. and Chemical Weapons: No Leg to Stand On
If, as alleged, the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons, it would indeed be a serious development, constituting a breach of the Geneva Protocol of 1925, one of the world’s most important (…) -
2 May 2013, by
Appeal to Authors to Boycott ‘Celebrating India in Israel’ Festival at the University of Haifa
New Delhi, April 30, 2013 Dear Namita Gokhale and Amish Tripathi, We, a group of artists, academics and activists in India, came together in 2010 to campaign against yet another apartheid (…) -
1 May 2013, by
Alternative Worlds at the 2013 World Social Forum in Tunis
Last month, I attended my first World Social Forum (WSF) in Tunis, the capital of Tunisia. I study social movements and teach about the WSF and the very different and more established annual scrum (…) -
29 April 2013, by
The Terror of Capitalism
On Wednesday, April 24, a day after Bangladeshi authorities asked the owners to evacuate their garment factory that employed almost three thousand workers, the building collapsed. The building, (…) -
24 April 2013, by
UN Must Challenge Canada’s Complicity in Mining’s Human Rights Abuses
Canada is due for review at the UN human rights council – abuses by its mining companies must not be overlooked Canada is scheduled for its universal periodic review (UPR) at the UN human (…) -
18 April 2013
To Reclaim Our Future, We Must Change the Present
The capitalist system has exploited and abused nature, pushing the planet to its limits, so much so that the system has accelerated dangerous and fundamental changes in the climate. Today, the (…) -
16 April 2013, by
India’s Israel Policy
Between 1948 (the founding of Israel) and 1992, the government of India had no formal relations with the state of Israel. In 1992, the Congress-led government of P. V. Narasimha Rao, for reasons (…) -
11 April 2013, by
Stop Israeli Construction of a New Illegal Settlement Highway in Occupied Palestinian Territory
Halt Israeli destruction and forcible displacement of the Palestinian community of Beit Safafa in occupied East Jerusalem A public appeal by the Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in (…) -
9 April 2013, by
The World Social Forum: Still Meeting Its Challenge
The World Social Forum (WSF) has just ended its now biennial meeting, held this time in Tunis. It was very largely ignored by the world’s mainstream press. It was attended by many skeptics who (…) -
9 April 2013, by
World Social Forum in Tunisia
"This was like a dream come true," said a radiant Sossi Mohamed Sadek, a Tunisian second year engineering student who was one of the hundreds of local volunteers at the World Social Forum in (…) -
4 April 2013
Declaration of the Social Movements Assembly
As the Social Movements Assembly of the World Social Forum of Tunisia, 2013, we are gathered here to affirm the fundamental contribution of peoples of Maghreb-Mashrek (from North Africa to the (…) -
4 April 2013
Declaration: Palestine Convergence Assembly in Tunis
The Convergence Assembly on Palestine at the World Social Forum (WSF) is meeting in Tunis in a moment of intense popular struggle in Palestine against Israel’s system of colonialism, occupation (…)
