CounterCurrents: Demonetisation Has Wrecked Farmers

Dear Friend,

As I wrote yesterday, demonetisation has wrecked rural India. They are selling their perishable produces at a loss. They are accepting old notes since they fear that if it is transferred to the bank, the bank officials will withhold it for repayment of old loans, one thing I predicted in my first article after demoentisation. Jaideep Hardikar reports the plight of farmers from Vidarbha. 

Water protectors at Standing Rock face imminent threat of eviction. Irwin Jerome takes a historic view of the struggle of the indigenous people and says that "the underbelly of America’s story of empire, greed and expansion, at the constant expense of Indians, Mexicans, former Black slaves and poor whites, is the same ol’, same ol’ constant in 2016 as it was at its birth in 1776 or at any point in-between then and now. To put it more succinctly, America’s real story is an ugly tale of the three ‘M’s’: Murder, Mayhem & Misery!"

Also more stories from around the world. 

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Demonetisation Has Wrecked Farmers
by Jaideep Hardikar 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/11/30/demonetisation-has-wrecked-farmers/

This would have been the time of year for brisk sales at the agricultural markets in Vidarbha. But farmers here are being forced to incur terrible losses – by accepting lower prices, losing their perishable produce, or due to a fear of depositing cash payments in old notes in banks where they owe loan repayments





#NoDAPL, The Sioux And America’s Real Story: An Old Sad Tale Retold Ad Infinitum
by Irwin Jerome

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/11/30/nodapl-the-sioux-and-americas-real-story-an-old-sad-tale-retold-ad-infinitum/

The underbelly of America’s story of empire, greed and expansion, at the constant expense of Indians, Mexicans, former Black slaves and poor whites, is the same ol’, same ol’ constant in 2016 as it was at its birth in 1776 or at any point in-between then and now. To put it more succinctly, America’s real story is an ugly tale of the three ‘M’s’: Murder, Mayhem & Misery!





Barcelona’s Brave Struggle To Advance The Commons
by David Bollier  

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/11/30/barcelonas-brave-struggle-to-advance-the-commons/

On a visit to Barcelona last week, I learned a great deal about the City’s pioneering role in developing “the city as a commons.”  I also learned that crystallizing a new commons paradigm – even in a city committed to cooperatives and open digital networks – comes with many gnarly complexities.





Winning The Malaria War Without Vaccines
by Thomas C Mountain 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/11/30/winning-the-malaria-war-without-vaccines/

For over 10 years now Eritrea, a small country in East Africa, has been winning the Malaria War without vaccines, though much work remains to be done. Since 2005 I have been monitoring the reduction in Malaria mortality here in Eritrea and have seen a consistant reduction of between 70-80%, something almost unknown in Africa and the rest of the 3rd world for such an extended period





Open Letter To President-Elect, Donald Trump
by Iqbal Alimohamed 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/11/30/open-letter-to-president-elect-donald-trump/

The dust has settled on the Presidential election. Peoples and governments everywhere have accepted the reality that a controversial personality has been elected to the highest political office in the world.There is muted hope, indeed rejoicing, among those American citizens who have hitherto felt woefully disenfranchised, that their concerns will soon be addressed. Millions, however, are fearful their country will inevitably slide into an abyss, with stagnation and disenchantment at home and a poor image abroad. This is not what the Forefathers envisioned when they arrived on the Mayflower in 1620 and settled in Plymouth, Mass., seeking a more abundant life with religious freedom.




The Ideological Stagnation Of Communist Parties:  A Moment To Go Back And Reaffirm Marx
by Chepal Sherpa 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/11/30/the-ideological-stagnation-of-communist-parties-a-moment-to-go-back-and-reaffirm-marx/

The ideological and political stagnation of the left should be viewed in this perspective. It is not the failure of the left politics as such. It is the failure of the leftist parties who have abandoned Marxism. The ideological weapon of Marxism at its crux is criticism. And there is no single communist party today upholding this. Marxism minus self-criticism becomes a dogma not a science and occasionally a doctrine like a state “official ideology” to persecute or silence criticisms





Bhopal Encounter: Fact Finding Report

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/11/30/bhopal-encounter-fact-finding-report/

As details and conflicting reports of the alleged jail break and encounter began to emerge, many questions were raised by concerned citizens regarding the genuineness of the entire incident, especially in the light of glaring loopholes in the official version of events. This fact-finding was conducted 4th to 6th November 2016.