“The real struggle for progressive change is taking place around the world, in countries whose populations do not enjoy all the rights and privileges that we do here in the West. There is the struggle to end the genocide in Sudan; the struggle for democracy in Burma, Zimbabwe and Belarus; the struggle for the emancipation of women and homosexuals across Africa and the Middle East; the struggle to save Iraq and Afghanistan from the Islamists; the struggle for the national liberation of Kosovo and Chechnya. And on all these issues, it is the ‘moderate’, democratic left that is on the side of progress, while the ‘radical’, anti-Western left is on the side of reaction. You cannot oppose the genocide in Sudan, or the Islamists in Iraq, if you oppose ‘Western intervention’; you cannot support women’s rights in the Middle East if you ally with Muslim fundamentalists on an ‘anti-imperialist’ basis; you cannot support democracy in Belarus if you celebrate President Lukashenka’s resistance to the West.”

That’s Marko Attila Hoare’s latest. More helpfully elaborated-upon than his first. I read it approvingly, mostly,  knowing full well this may displease some of my comrades here.

Further to the post below, the Musharraf régime has been rounding up trade unionists and others opposed to ‘rule by decree’.

The Times of India reports:

Pakistan on Thursday charged three politicians and a trade union leader with treason for making speeches against President Pervez Musharraf’s emergency rule. The sedition charge, which carries a maximum sentence of death, shows the Musharraf regime’s eagerness to demolish any opposition at home as it grapples with external pressure from its Western allies.

Though, there haven’t been any political rallies on the streets since the day Musharraf imposed emergency last week, at least 4,000 people have been thrown into jails in by authorities, with the lawyers and journalists facing the brunt of the crackdown on civil society groups opposing the generals move.

On Thursday, the federal interior ministry admitted that more than 2,000 political workers, lawyers and civil society activists are under arrest.

A large number of them have been booked under treason and anti-terrorism laws. As the authorities close-in on political workers, the second-tier leadership of PML (Nawaz), Jamaat-e-Islami, Tehrik-e-Insaf, Awami National Party and a many Sindhi and Baloch nationalist parties have either been picked up by law-enforcement agencies or have gone underground.

PPP leader Benazir Bhutto, who has subsequently been placed under house arrest, said

The security forces and intelligence agencies are fighting the people instead of the militants.

Indeed, while the régime has been stamping on trade unionists and others, right-wing extremists who refer to themselves as ‘Taleban’ have been imposing their own anti-democratic crackdown in the North of the country.

Television and music have been banned and barbers ordered not to shave beards. Through an FM radio station, the militants have urged schoolgirls to wear all-covering burkas. They have warned women that their marriages would be annulled if they did not force their husbands to grow beards.

Several development organisations have been forced to close their offices, accused of spreading immorality because they employed women staff. Last week the militia publicly beheaded 12 soldiers.

The region used to attract foreign tourists to its Buddhist heritage and archaeological sites …

… but not for much longer.

Here’s Ali yesterday, in “Why Musharraf May Arrest Benazir Bhutto”: I am beginning to wonder how long it will be before Musharraf will detain her and put her in house arrest. This is an important thing to inquire about because at the moment she is the only one of the political leaders in the country that is roaming free.

Forty-five minutes ago, the Associated Press reported from Islamabad: Pakistani police backed by armored vehicles detained opposition leader Benazir Bhutto at her Islamabad residence Friday and reportedly rounded up 5,000 of her supporters to block her mass protest against emergency rule.

Ali and his colleagues have put together a terrific resource, Pakistan Politics, here. It’s an “independent pro-democracy website, offering stimulating, critical analysis, promoting dialogue and debate. . .committed to human rights, economic justice, political stability, religious freedom and the rule of law. . .We aim to ensure that marginalized and dissenting views and voices are heard. . .”

It’s action central right now.

Liberal Cuntspiracy - they are having an “exciting debate” on “wedge issues” and throwing down gauntlets. Anodyne cliché merchants. The bland leading the bland.

…”yeah like — it’s really important we debate ‘the issues’ like. Because that’s never been done anywhere at all like. Good job me (Hundal) is like here isn’t it like. Because there wouldn’t be any ‘discussion of the issues’ like. And ‘we’ should do it by using the internet like. Because that’s the future like. Neat innit like.”…”yeah like — it’s really important we debate ‘the issues’ like. Because that’s never been done anywhere at all like. Good job me (Hundal) is like here isn’t it like. Because there wouldn’t be any ‘discussion of the issues’ like. And ‘we’ should do it by using the internet like. Because that’s the future like. Neat innit like.”

“L8tars like.”

What a fucking cock-end. With a stupid arsed beard.

(Shakes head - removes oneself from vicinity)

Still funny as fuck (for political obsessives).