The Latin American Revolution (Part One): Latin American Presidents Address World Social Forum

By Asad Ismi In a historic first, on January 29, five Latin American Presidents addressed the 2009 World Social Forum (WSF) held in Belem, Brazil: Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, Evo Morales of Bolivia, Rafael Correa of Ecuador, Lula da Silva of Brazil, and Fernando Lugo of Paraguay. The WSF, the gathering of leftist social movements […]

Amazingly Rapid Economic Growth has Made China “World’s Workshop”

By Asad Ismi China’s economic ascent over the last two-and-a-half decades has been nothing short of astounding. It now has the fastest-growing large economy in the world, having increased by an amazing 9% a year since 1979, a historical record. As one U.S. newspaper put it, “The world has never seen a nation as big […]

Canadian Mining Companies Set to Destroy Ghana’s Forest Reserves

By Asad Ismi Under pressure from Canadian and U.S. mining companies, the Ghanaian government seems ready to pass legislation in June 2003 which will open the country’s protected forest reserves to mining. The companies’ bulldozers are ready to rip apart thousands of hectares of rainforest in the Ashanti, Eastern and Western Regions if the government […]

The Ravaging of Africa: Western Neo-colonialism Fuels Wars, Plundering of Resources

By Asad Ismi The G8 Summit held in Kananaskis in June, pledged $6 billion dollars a year in so-called aid to Africa by 2006. The low figure caused Phil Twyford of Oxfam to say “We’re extremely disappointed by this wasted opportunity. They’re offering peanuts to Africa and recycled peanuts at that.” In 1999, debt service […]