eleanargh

Aung San Suu Kyi is an honorary life member of Unison

I ♥ my union so much:

“We will not let the world forget that you and thousands of others are in prison for standing up for democracy and the rights of workers”, UNISON President Angela Lynes told 2009 National Conference as it marked Aung San Suu Kyi’s 64th Birthday under house arrest. As she is released today, the Burma Campaign turns to the thousands of other political prisoners in Burma’s jails.

“We call on the United Nations to work tirelessly for your release and that of the more than 2,000 other political prisoners, many of whom are fellow trade unionists”.

[…]The fear is that the release may release pent up political frustrations, bringing the opposition on to the streets and giving a further excuse for even more military clampdown.

[…]Burma Campaign UK said today, “The release of Aung San Suu Kyi is about public relations, not democratic reform. I am thrilled to see our democracy leader free at last, but the release is not part of any political process, instead it is designed to get positive publicity for the dictatorship after the blatant rigging of elections on 7th November. We must not forget the thousands of other political prisoners still suffering in Burma’s jails.” 

Paul O’Grady evidently well hates Tories :D

Things which foil my attempts at proper veganism

1. Hogs hair paintbrushes. Actually made of the hair of a hog. Who knew.

Transgender Day of Remembrance, 20th November

All international events for Transgender Day or Remembrance are listed here; UK events are taking place in St Andrews, Brighton, Coventry, London, Manchester and Sheffield.

Transgender Day of Remembrance was set aside to memorialize those killed due to anti-transgender hatred or prejudice. Although not every person represented during the Day self-identified as transgender — as transsexual, a crossdresser, or otherwise gender-variant — each was a victim of violence based on bias against transgender people.

Over the last decade, more than one person per month has died due to transgender-based hate or prejudice, regardless of any other factors in their lives.

Transgender Day of Remembrance raises public awareness of hate crimes against transgender people, an action that current media doesn’t perform. Day of Remembrance publicly mourns and honors the lives of those who might otherwise be forgotten. Through the vigil, we express love and respect for our people in the face of national indifference and hatred. Day of Remembrance reminds non-transgender people that we are their sons, daughters, parents, friends and lovers. Day of Remembrance gives our allies a chance to step forward with us and stand in vigil, memorializing those of us who’ve died by anti-transgender violence.

***SMALL PRO-CHOICE PROTEST TOMORROW AFTERNOON CENTRAL LONDON***

The protest is in response to two anti-choice religious groups’ “vigils” outside an abortion clinic. The clinic knows we will be protesting and individual staff have expressed their support, and there will be police presence. Please contact me (facebook: Eleanor Charlotte Saunders /eleanorcsaunders@hotmail.com) if you can come and I’ll reply with the full details - WE NEED PEOPLE and placards but have to keep a cap of numbers. Please share!

Boris Johnson will “emphatically resist any attempt to recreate a London where the rich and poor cannot live together”

Good. Good good good: Housing benefit cuts: Boris Johnson vows to fight ‘Kosovo-style cleasing’. “Kosovo-style” is a bit strong of course, but the way he speaks about this suggests he’s going to be pretty firm in challenging it.

The government has limited the amount paid in benefits according to the size of a property, including a cap of £400 a week on a four-bedroom house.

Mr Johnson’s comments came as MPs were set to debate the issue in Parliament. The Tory mayor said he was in talks with the Conservative-led coalition government to “mitigate the impact”.

He told BBC London there was an “anomaly” in the housing benefit system which allows some landlords to make profit as “hard-working Londoners” pay.

Mr Johnson said: “The last thing we want to have in our city is a situation such as Paris where the less well-off are pushed out to the suburbs.

“I’ll emphatically resist any attempt to recreate a London where the rich and poor cannot live together.

“People will always cry and say that I am at war with [the Prime Minister] David Cameron and try and get a headline out of that, but the fact is we are in detailed negotiations with the DWP, Iain Duncan Smith and his officials.

“What we will not see and we will not accept any kind of Kosovo-style social cleansing of London.

“On my watch, you are not going to see thousands of families evicted from the place where they have been living and have put down roots.”