Revolution is breaking out in Belize!

[Zingu]

Comrades; breaking news.


I do not know the full story but, I will tell you what I hear on the radio.



The workers of Belize have risen up and started rioting. Chaos is in the streets, barricades have gone up; the banks are being firebombed, gas stations attacked, petit-bourgeoisie shops smashed up, grocery stores are being shot up.

Its past a riot; the government has issued a national state of emergency. Riot police are clashing with armed workers around the city; the government looks to be the near of the verge of collapse.


We'll keep you updated when more details come through; Communist Firefox knows alot about it.

Viva la revolution!

[Zingu]

The military has been mobilized; but is cut off by the car traffic clogging the way into Belize City.

[In Search of True Thinkers]

Ha..Ha Reminds me of the "revolution" in Bogota in the early 50's in which a mob of people revolted over the assasination of a prominent lefttist activist. The people who took part were nothing,but an angry mob with no political goal and order was restored within days. Fidel Castro even took part in the chaos as he was to speak at a student organized forum in response to an OSA confrence. In the book Fidel: My Early Years he speaks of the whole uprising as unorganized and without purpose or leadership. Hopefully this situation in Belize can lead to true social progress.

[Zingu]

A few weeks before this, there was a General Strike staged by the workers organized by one of the radical parties in Belize; that ended in violence. That was just the precursor to this. I really hope they can start getting organized into workers' councils or something of the sort.

[VukBZ2005]

From what i am hearing from the Belizean Radio online - there are still signs that the
Prime Minster will not give in to the riots in Belize City so far....

[Yazman]

Does anybody have any links on this? This is a new and exciting development.

[red_orchestra]

...CBC had a special on it tonight, and it looks like the PM of that country is going to get axed. Literally. Right now, the country is in anarchy...people are fed up, and angry. It will sort itself out.

[NovelGentry]

Excellent News.

[Severian]

Here's a Belize news channel (http://new.channel5belize.com/index.php)

[bunk]

Originally posted by [email protected] 21 2005, 07:33 AM
...CBC had a special on it tonight, and it looks like the PM of that country is going to get axed. Literally. Right now, the country is in anarchy...people are fed up, and angry. It will sort itself out.
As a leftist you should know correct terms. If you mean chaos, say it.

[OleMarxco]

Great news. Hope they suceed. Fuck the capitalists, it's time for a new rule now, money-grubbers! BAH! :D

[Yazman]

This is off topic, but:

JOSH OF HEAVENS! You are awesome - Shenmue kicks ass.

[bunk]

I looked on BBC but can't find anything about this, can any1 link some news stories on it.

Yazman: You played Shenmue and Shenmue 2? What do you think of Shenmue online?

[Roses in the Hospital]

Good luck to them, I hope they manage to make something of it...

[Yazman]

I also looked on Yahoo but couldn't find links, although the one provided earlier by Severian was interesting.

Josh of Heavens: I don't get why they're making Shenmue online.. I wish they would just hurry up and make Shenmue 3, and yes i have played the first two.

[Colombia]

I can't see the US letting a country so close to it become anything socialist in nature.

[bolshevik butcher]

Well venuzuela's gone and much of the rest of south america appears to be going, the U$ can't wage war on to many places at once.

[OleMarxco]

US can't control everything. Too many balls and something will drop. A two front war? I doubt it. Their army is restrained controlling IraQ and Afganistan, how the hell would they spare enough troops to diverge over to Latin America? ;)

[VukBZ2005]

This is the news i got from Belize radio so far; The students and workers of Orange Walk are walking out of the schools and the workplaces - and that the situation is quickly detriorating.. More news as I
get it...

[Super Mario Conspiracy]

I hope Belize succeeds with this. It is a small country, and therefore I think the chance of revolution (or, change of government) is more realistic.

Wikipedia often updates when there is something going on. I only found this, so far, on Wiki:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belize

Not much, huh. Anyways, we'll see what time brings us.

[NovelGentry]

I did a quick search on google news last night, and I did find one article which does shed some light at least on one of the situations:

http://www.sanpedrosun.net/05-161.html

Not sure if this sparked anything, or even how credible all accounts are. But no doubt it sheds some light on the kind of stuff that's really going on there now.

[More Fire for the People]

This is very interesting and promising.
I hope a worker revolution does burst out and they organize into councils & unions (and hopefully not a "vanguard party").
Hopefully, the power will flow from Belize into Mexico and Guatemala and further!

[NovelGentry]

It'd be interesting if it sparked more movement among the EZLN -- maybe some solidarity. I'm not familiar with where the EZLN has focused efforts in the past, any chance of unifying with people struggling in Belize?

[VukBZ2005]

Originally posted by [email protected] 21 2005, 10:35 PM
I did a quick search on google news last night, and I did find one article which does shed some light at least on one of the situations:

http://www.sanpedrosun.net/05-161.html

Not sure if this sparked anything, or even how credible all accounts are. But no doubt it sheds some light on the kind of stuff that's really going on there now.
That was one of the situations that helped caused what is happening in Belize
now - in fact - from what I am hearing from Belizean Radio online; there are
whole bunch of people gathering at the prime minster's house and there are
police and riot squad in front of the protestors...more as I hear it...

[Zingu]

E-mail I got from a freind in Belize:


Hi, *****. I'm still here in Belize, though my time is winding down.
I have about 3 months remaining, after which I'm planing to study
Spanish in Mexico for one semester, perhaps two. I have some vague
thoughts of returning to school after my Spanish studies, but it's
something to which I need to give more thought. I'm not totally settled
on any given field, though I have some ideas of things that might
interest me, one of which is renewable energy. I want to avoid being
stuck in a lab or office all day long, as well as being under massive
pressure to get funded through grants and what not. I have some
decisions to make.

Belize. Well, to be honest I don't know too much about the current
situation in Belize. Of course, I hear rumors and see certain effects,
but I can't say that I have a reasonable enough grasp on the topic to
give educated comments.

I don't think I would call what is presently going on in Belize a
``rebellion.'' It's more like loosely organized protests. A few months
ago the present administration here decided to raise all sorts of taxes
and to renege on some things like incremental pay raises for teachers.
Well, the result was that the teachers went on strike for two weeks at
the beginning of this last semester. Not only that, but for a week or
so the water company was purposefully shutting the water off, seemingly
at random, in protest. The electricity went off a few times, too.
There were also some protests outside the national assembly building
here in Belmopan, the capital city, where I also happen to live. I
heard that there was a small amount of rock-throwing, but mostly the
demonstrations were small and peaceful. I don't think the people here
have really learned to organize themselves effectively. In any case,
this was all a few months ago and lasted for about a week or two and
then settled down. The government went ahead with all the proposed tax
hikes.

Now here we are a few months later and some problems are cropping up
again. There is some contention regarding the ownership of the
telecommunications monopoly called BTL (Belize Telecom Limited). I
heard that the police raided and took over the BTL offices in Belize
City and for the past week most of the country has been without
telephone and Internet. The Internet just came up again last night.
However, the power was out for about 3 hours this morning, and also last
night for an hour or so. I have a feeling that the recent power outages
are also related to all of this protest, but I don't know for sure.

Apparently things are intensifying again. I don't have a television,
and I don't really listen to the radio so I'm a bit out of touch on the
situation. I try to stay out of politics here.

You might be able to find more information at these sites:

http://new.channel5belize.com
http://www.amandala.com.bz/

If I can be of more assistance please don't hesitate to ask.

I hope all is well with you and your family.

Take care,
*******

[VukBZ2005]

I am going to respond to Zingu's friend's letter here. First what happened in
Janurary & Feburary (I am of course talking of the General Strike) was not
"losely-organized" from his view; but it was organized by all the major unions
that were in function in Belize. Second - the Working class Belizean can not
afford the tax raises that occured on March, 1, 2005, when the Belizean gov
-ernment reimplemented these high taxes and imposed them upon the poplu
-ation. Third - the workers at BTL sabotaged the communications service; c
-utting Belize off from the rest of the world and preventing any kind of breaking
news from reaching the international community. The response was that the
police forces siezed the offices and tried to sneaking workers from Mexico to
put back the service - but it was sabotage by Belizean workers causing the se
-rvice to be only partally restored. Now the rioting that is now occuring in Belize
City has the potential to spread across the entire country and to say it - the situ
-ation is basically deteriorating. Of course he did mention that he was that not well
informed on the situation that is happening around him. I think he should pay
more attention.

[NovelGentry]

It was all thanks to the GCP's letter... hehe. That was a joke.

[comrade_mufasa]

Originally posted by [email protected] 21 2005, 01:33 PM
US can't control everything. Too many balls and something will drop. A two front war? I doubt it. Their army is restrained controlling IraQ and Afganistan, how the hell would they spare enough troops to diverge over to Latin America? ;)
I bet you they will find away to do it.
I have a gril that work with me from belize her brother is in the riots and was in the striks. She is just worried for his well being becouse she knows how the cops can act. Much love and respect to him and the others.

[VukBZ2005]

I heard from belizean radio online that all the unions were in involved in
another high level meeting and they are saying another general strike in
Belize is likely - This is the second time in four months that this is
happening - and right in midst of riots...

[AnFaRes]

nothing to say except:

God luck to our friends from belize..

Viva la Révolution...

[bolshevik butcher]

Originally posted by Communist [email protected] 23 2005, 04:34 PM
I heard from belizean radio online that all the unions were in involved in
another high level meeting and they are saying another general strike in
Belize is likely - This is the second time in four months that this is
happening - and right in midst of riots...
Ecuador, Venuzuela, now Belize by the looks of it, can this reovlution spread to mexico and brazil and argentina?

[pandora]

I don't see EZLN having much influence, they have their hands full just trying to work in Chiapas, not to mention paramilitary actions in the "dirty war" in Oaxaca and Guerro. They are a parlimentary influence however, in that they show a model.

However, if you look at the demonstrations which are breaking out all over Central America due to CAFTA (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, etc.. ) and mounting protests in Equador than you have the start of something big, a paradigm shift. Unfortunately through blood sweat and tears, but in resistance to corporate interest in Central and Latin America, and an increase in the power of unions as well as pan-American union solidarity.

The two fronts here are Belize and the unrest already in Argentina and Equador, not to mention the US war in Columbia and the resistance of Venezuala coupled with outbreak of resistance all through Central America in resistance to the Central American Free Trade Agreement, which will effectively enslave most of Central America. The only pro-CAFTA page I've found is by the Free Trade Zone itself in the Dominican Republic, every union through the area is in resistance.

[Aryan theme]

The rebellion should be stopped with celerity and great force. Central America is of the utmost importance to the USA. We canot afford a cheap communist regime fomenting trouble like the Sandinistas did down in Nicaragua.

[KC]

What are the major organizations involved in the riots? Are they talking about putting in a communist government?

[BlackHandRedStar]

Sandinistas did down in Nicaragua

The Sandinistas liberated Nicaragua from right-wing murders. The last thing the USA needs is another black eye from their dictator buddies.

[VukBZ2005]

Originally posted by Aryan [email protected] 23 2005, 07:12 PM
The rebellion should be stopped with celerity and great force. Central America is of the utmost importance to the USA. We canot afford a cheap communist regime fomenting trouble like the Sandinistas did down in Nicaragua.
Fuck you and your facist ass. You are clearly a arrogant bastard who advocates
and supports American Imperialism in Latin America - much less Central America.
Why is it in America's interest to even interfere with other nation's affairs? Would A
-mericans like it if someone were interfering with America's affairs? Huh?

[BlackHandRedStar]

He can have his freedom of speech, we cannot revoke that from him. He can talk all he wants, doesn't mean he's right or anyone has to take him seriously.

[Karl Marx's Camel]

Viva la revolution!


Why don't you take the first ticket to Belize, and pick up a gun? This is your chance!

[AnFaRes]

if you would fly with me.. ;)

[Karl Marx's Camel]

Only if you buy the tickets.. I'll bring the water guns :D

[bunk]

Who's the interpreter?

[More Fire for the People]

*psst* If you want to support the revolution just buy some cocaine from FARC.

[Karl Marx's Camel]

This is not really my job * :P



"Latin America" is our intepreter.


Redstar2000 is responsible for logistics, with Fidelbrand overseeing his work.


* Lysergic Acid Diethylamide and RedZeppelin both as head of recruitment.


Virgin Molotov Cocktail is responsible for technological support.


TAT is the entertainer.


CyM is responsible for the distribution and selling of Marijuana.



Rest is cannon fodder :D

[Karl Marx's Camel]

*psst* If you want to support the revolution just buy some cocaine from FARC.

No, that is CyM's job! :angry:

[chebol]

Oh, for the hundredth time, the FARC doesn't sell, or produce cocaine.

Perpetuating this kind of rubbish is what gets decent people taking the wrong side on Colombia.

How about "if you want to help the revolution, buy some shares in Bluescope." ;-0

[Karl Marx's Camel]

The people who own the land can freely produce cocaine, but FARC takes a percentage of their income... Is that correct?

[Totalitarian Militant]

Originally posted by [email protected] 21 2005, 06:33 PM
US can't control everything. Too many balls and something will drop. A two front war? I doubt it. Their army is restrained controlling IraQ and Afganistan, how the hell would they spare enough troops to diverge over to Latin America? ;)
I dont know if you noticed, but the US military is in the millions.

In Iraq and Afghanistan is not even 150,000.
Sorry.


As for this revolution, you guys are making a joke and a happy thing out of their suffering.

Yay, people are dying!

Gimme a break. They probably wont suceed. They dont have military power, so what is the best they can do?

I mean, good luck to them making their lives better, but come on.

http://www.topix.net/world/belize

[Severian]

Originally posted by Totalitarian [email protected] 23 2005, 09:05 PM

I dont know if you noticed, but the US military is in the millions.

In Iraq and Afghanistan is not even 150,000.
Sorry.
Only part of the U.S. military is ground-combat troops, and of those many need to be on rest and retraining at any one time. It would be very difficult to sustain another major, prolonged intervention right now. (They do have Bosnia, Haiti etc etc also.)

More to the point, the U.S. has avoided direct military interventions that place it in combat with popular revolutionary forces or the struggles of working people, ever since Vietnam. It has consistently dealt with them using proxy forces, and that will likely continue to be its first and preferred option.

It is not invincible, and the anti-revolutionary pessimism expressed in your post in unwarranted.

***

Reuters article about recent events in Belize (http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N22395557.htm)

Seems to me this can best be described as strikes and protests, with some street fighting and allegedly sabotage, demanding that workers get a share of ownership in a company being privatized. Probably not a rebelliion, certainly not a revolution.

A major role in events seems to be played by the liberal opposition, the United Democratic Party.

info page on UDP (http://www.country-studies.com/belize/united-democratic-party.html):

Esquivel was also able to counter PUP criticism of the UDP's economic policy. He noted that the UPD was merely implementing an economic policy initiated by the PUP in agreement with the IMF. Esquivel pointed out that many issues criticized by PUP--the increased presence of AID advisers and Peace Corps volunteers, the construction of radio towers by Voice of America, and the sale of Belizean citizenship--all began in the previous PUP government. The UDP distinguished itself from the PUP by highlighting its economic expertise and willingness to implement painful, but necessary reforms.

Which makes the character of the UDP sufficiently clear: it is an anti-worker party exploiting an opportunity.

This does not, of course, make the workers' strikes and protests any less worthy of support...just indicates that crying "revolution" is a major exaggeration right now.

[Parkbench]

"Yay, people are dying!"

I'm pretty sure that was him being facetious.

Sarcasm is important to recognise.

Side note: t'aint nothin' wrong with cocaine...

[BlackHandRedStar]

Side note: t'aint nothin' wrong with cocaine...
:lol: :lol: :lol:

[VukBZ2005]

From what I am hearing now - the Belizean Army is arresting certain activists,
arresting and beating up students, arresting people in their homes and throwing
them in jail for no reason at all... Even if you annouce your support the workers
and the students you get beatened up by riot squad and the Belizean Army and
get thrown in jail.... the situation is continuing as Unions and public ultility workers
are cutting off the water, going on strike and so on..