CounterCurrents: Hard Won Victories and Long Battles Ahead, The Aggression On Iraq By Bush, Blair And Howard

Dear Friend,

Today we've two important victories to report. In a long-awaited victory for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has denied a permit for the Dakota Access Pipeline.

It is indeed a historic victory for a people's struggle.  Rachel Olivia O’Connor & Richard Martin Oxman, and Kevin Zeese & Margaret Flowers write that we should not fall into complacency and develop a Plan B. Bigger battles are lying ahead of us. 

Statements from Energy Transfer Partners and Sunoco Logistics Partners, the corporations behind the Dakota Access Pipeline point to this same conclusion. According to them as reported by CNN    they "fully expect to complete construction of the pipeline without any additional rerouting in and around Lake Oahe." As far as they're concerned, the White House's directive does not change past court decisions to green light the project. "Nothing this Administration has done today changes that in any way," the company said in a statement.

Second good news comes from Austria where former chairman of the Austrian Greens, Alexander Van der Bellen,  won the presidential election against his rival from the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ), Norbert Hofer.

Countercurrents is starting a new photo story series on the line "Human of New York". Our series is title #HumanOfDemonetisedIndia. The first story is that of Rakesh, migrant labourer from West Bengal. His story is quite tragic. I and some of my friends met him in a town called Perumbavoor in Kerala which is the hub of migrant labourers in Kerala. We could see that he had missed several meals. He had come to Kerala looking for work. Then demonetisation struck him down. No work. No money. No food. He just wants to go back home. He doesn't have money to buy tickets. When we gave him some money to buy tickets and food, he broke into tears. Who will sea his tears? 

There are so many such stories of people affected Demonetisation in India. Will you join us in making their stories heard? Just take a photograph and write their worries in a few lines and send it toeditor@countercurrents.org. Let's together make India heard. 

Also more stories from around the world. 

If you don't mind, and if you think the content of this news letter is critical for the dignified living and survival of humanity and other species on earth, please forward it to your friends and spread the word. It's time for humanity to come together as one family! You can subscribe to our news letter here http://www.countercurrents.org/news-letter/. 

In Solidarity

Binu Mathew
Editor
www.countercurrents.org





Victory At Standing Rock: Dakota Access Pipeline Permit Denied
by Nika Knight 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/05/victory-at-standing-rock-dakota-access-pipeline-permit-denied/

In a long-awaited victory for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has denied a permit for the Dakota Access Pipeline, tribal leadership announced late Sunday. The agency will not allow the pipeline to be built under Lake Oahe, a reservoir near the tribal reservation, without a full environmental impact assessment that examines alternative routes for the pipeline.





Singular Sentiments On The Standing Rock Victory
Co-Written by Rachel Olivia O’Connor and Richard Martin Oxman

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/05/singular-sentiments-on-the-standing-rock-victory/

We won’t state the obvious points about what was accomplished, or anything concerning who should be praised. Rather, below, I give you sentiments not being discussed much, if at all, related to the work to be done now that a monumental victory as been won in North Dakota at Standing Rock.





#NoDAPL Scores Major Victory: No Final Permit For Pipeline
Co-Written by Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/05/nodapl-scores-major-victory-no-final-permit-for-pipeline/

Cannon Ball, North Dakota (Oceti Sakowin or Council of the Seven Fires Camp) – Today, the people won a major victory in the fight to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL). The US Army Corps of Engineers sided with the Water Protectors and refused the final permit that would have allowed Energy Transfer Partners to drill under Lake Oahe. There will be battles ahead but this was another amazing people-powered victory. When people unite, we have power. This time people power defeated big oil and big finance.





Far-Right Candidate Defeated In Austrian Presidential Election
by Markus Salzmann 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/05/far-right-candidate-defeated-in-austrian-presidential-election/

The former chairman of the Austrian Greens, Alexander Van der Bellen, yesterday won the presidential election against his rival from the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ), Norbert Hofer. The 72-year-old won by a projected 53.4 percent of the vote to Hofer’s 46.6 percent.





#HumansOfDemonetisedIndia: Rakesh, The Migrant Labourer

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/05/humansofdemonetisedindia-rakesh-the-migrant-labourer/

Story of migrant labourer badly affected by demonetisation





A Risky Fatalism: ‘Temporary Hardships In Lieu Of A Better Tomorrow’
by Rakesh S 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/05/a-risky-fatalism-temporary-hardships-in-lieu-of-a-better-tomorrow/

Demonetization and its continuing saga are reasons, strong enough to demonstrate our opinion and power. However we have failed on that front too. A nation’s culture- belief system, attitude, plays a significant role in determining how they react to a situation like this. In India people look up to the state for guidance, leadership and direction. There might me many reasons for this complacency, however I feel that it has got a lot to do with our fatalistic attitude. 





The Aggression On Iraq By Bush, Blair And Howard
by George Venturini 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/05/the-aggression-on-iraq-by-bush-blair-and-howard/

The Iraq Inquiry Report (2009-2016) documents how Tony Blair committed Great Britain to war early in 2002, lying to the United Nations, to Parliament, and to the British people, in order to follow George Bush, who had planned an aggression on Iraq well before September 2001. Australian Prime Minister John Howard conspired with both reckless adventurers, purported ‘to advise’ both buccaneers, sent troops to Iraq before the war started, then lied to Parliament and to the Australian people. He continues to do so. Should he and his cabal be charged with war crimes ?






Supreme Court Verdict On National Anthem Mandates Hindutva Nationalism
by Jaspal Singh Sidhu 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/05/supreme-court-verdict-on-national-anthem-mandates-hindutva-nationalism/

The order sends a clear-cut message: Accept the supremacy of Indian nationhood and sacredness of its symbols otherwise they shall be enforced by State diktat or through legal compulsions.





Kashmir: Heaven In A Heartless World
by Gowhar Naz 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/05/kashmir-heaven-in-a-heartless-world/

Kashmir, a beautiful landscape, which has got admirers from all over the world is today crying for help. But its cries go unheard. Funeral after funeral. Troubled days and nights. Wounds burned and throbbed. Meaning to say, the valley is bleeding all the way. Instead of healing the wounds, people who claim it as ‘the integral part’ gave nothing but severe physical injuries and trauma to its habitants. Bullets, pellets and pava shells were used (and still) to kill, cripple and paralyse the innocents (mostly teenagers) raising voice against the State &  Central Government for their different freedoms. Thousands and thousands of the youth became the victim of security forces. More than 120 people lost their lives. More or less 200 lost full and partial eyesight. Some are recuperating from injuries and some are still battling for life.