Asia Pacific Currents

In early June, massive protests exploded in the city state of Hong Kong against the local government's proposal to introduce a bill allowing the extradition of people to mainland China. The demonstrations have numbered up to two million people on the streets. Even against mounting repression by the police and paid thugs, the protests have now continued for over three months. While the original extradition bill has been withdrawn, the protest movement is now fighting for much wider political demands.APC this week was able to interview Jaco, a member of the group Socialist Action (CWI in Hong Kong), on the protests, the politics of the movement, its relationship with the labour movement in mainland China, and where is the movement aiming now.Asia Pacific Currents provides updates of labour struggles and campaigns from the Asia Pacific region. It is produced by Australia Asia Worker Links, in the studio of 3CR Radio in Melbourne, Australia

East Asia is one of the industrial hubs of the world with countries like Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and China producing and exporting goods all around the world. The working class in these countries numbers in the hundreds of millions.Due to conflict and wars, workers have not historically had many links between these countries. This is now changing and a recent Labor Notes Conference brought hundreds of these workers and activists together.APC interviewed an Australian delegate to this conference, Sherry Huang from the Migrant Workers Centre in Melbourne, about her reflections on this conference.Asia Pacific Currents provides updates of labour struggles and campaigns from the Asia Pacific region. It is produced by Australia Asia Worker Links, in the studio of 3CR Radio in Melbourne, Australia

While the political situation in Kashmir has always been tense, with India and Pakistan engaging in military conflicts a number of times over this disputed territory, the recent India's government abrogation of Kashmir's special constitutional status has plunged the region in uncharted waters.In contrast to previous flashpoints, this time the changes are driven by internal politics and by the nationalist and xenophobic drive by Modhi's government to create a Hindu Indian state.The APC team spoke to Kavita Krishnan, a member of the politburo of the Communist Party of India (M-L) about the imposition of martial law in Kashmir, the significance of the legislative changes, and its significance for the rest of India.Asia Pacific Currents provides updates of labour struggles and campaigns from the Asia Pacific region. It is produced by Australia Asia Worker Links, in the studio of 3CR Radio in Melbourne, Australia

Ever since the sham Act of Free Choice in 1969 when the Indonesian Government engineered a vote for West Papuans to join up within the Indonesian state, conflict has never stopped.The Indonesian government, and its capitalist allies, have always kept a close control West Papua as the region is incredibly rich in natural resources in areas such as mining, timber, farming and fishing.APC interviewed West Papuan Independence activist O'Neil Waromi on the latest upsurge of resistance and repression that has occurred both in Java and in West Papua.Asia Pacific Currents provides updates of labour struggles and campaigns from the Asia Pacific region. It is produced by Australia Asia Worker Links, in the studio of 3CR Radio in Melbourne, Australia

Somyot Pruksakasemsuk, a long time union and democracy activist in Thailand, was jailed for 11 years in 2011 under the repressive Lese Majeste Law - Article 112. He was pardoned in 2018 after serving seven years in jail.Somyot had been a labour and human rights activists for decades. He was jailed because of his opposition to military rule and the power of the Monarchy.APC interviewed him recently in Malaysia (he is barred from entering Australia) about the ongoing struggle against repression in Thailand.Asia Pacific Currents provides updates of labour struggles and campaigns from the Asia Pacific region. It is produced by Australia Asia Worker Links, in the studio of 3CR Radio in Melbourne, Australia

The trade union movement in Malaysia was destroyed decades ago in a combination of outright repression and slow strangulation by restrictive laws.While workers have continued to organise in this period, it has been difficult to develop strong militant unions. In the last couple of years, a new leadership team has revitalised the hospital cleaners union. It still faces lots of challenges.Jiselle Hanna, a member of the APC team, was in Malaysia last month on a trade union visit. Jiselle talks about the growth of the cleaners union, its achievements, its strategies to counter contracting out and the challenges it still faces.Asia Pacific Currents provides updates of labour struggles and campaigns from the Asia Pacific region. It is produced by Australia Asia Worker Links, in the studio of 3CR Radio in Melbourne, Australia

The Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were both devastated in August 1945 by atomic bombs dropped by the USA military. The devastation these bombs caused shocked the world.In the decades after 1945, millions of people campaigned to limit and abolish atomic weapons. Unfortunately they are still around and these bombs, and the industry and research that develops them, are a serious threat to working class people everywhere.APC spokle to Denis Doherty from the Hiroshima Day Committee in Sydney about the relevance of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki anniversary 74 years after the bombs were first dropped, and what activities the Hiroshima Day Committee is undertaking.Asia Pacific Currents provides updates of labour struggles and campaigns from the Asia Pacific region. It is produced by Australia Asia Worker Links, in the studio of 3CR Radio in Melbourne, Australia

Low wages, outsourcing and sub contracting are a scourge for workers all around the world with companies using these methods to 1) increase profits and 2) cut costs by shifting responsibity and dangers to workers.South Korea is no different in a part of the world where governments like Japan, China and Taiwan are trying to help their respective capitalists by keeping workers as un-organised as possible. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) has been engaged in an increasingly bitter and wide ranging confrontation against the South Korean government and companies to try and inprove workers conditions.APC interviewed Mikyung Ryu, the International Relation Director of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) on which sectors of workers where more affected, what are the main demands by workers, and the overall political situation. Asia Pacific Currents provides updates of labour struggles and campaigns from the Asia Pacific region. It is produced by Australia Asia Worker Links, in the studio of 3CR Radio in Melbourne, Australia

President Rodrigo Duterte's 'War on Drugs' has been going on for more than three years. During this time there has been a normalisation of extra judicial killings, impunity for death squads, vilification of human rights defenders and arrests of activists. His death squads have murdered over 25,000 people.These massacres has had a terrorising effect on on urban, working class communities in the Philippines. Nevertheless, opposition and organising against this repression is growing both internally and internationally.APC interviewed May Kotsakis, co Chairperson of PASA (Philippine Australia Solidarity Association) and the finance Officer of ILPS (International League of People's Struggle), on the current situation on the Philippines.Asia Pacific Currents provides updates of labour struggles and campaigns from the Asia Pacific region. It is produced by Australia Asia Worker Links, in the studio of 3CR Radio in Melbourne, Australia

Yemen is often described as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. The country was already one of the poorest in the region and years of war have ravaged the countryThe origings of the current situation can be traced back to the Houthi movement, an Islamic religious-political-armed movement that emerged from Sa'dah in northern Yemen in the 1990s as a response to local grievances. It overcame adversity and repression to take the capital, Sana’a in 2014. Saudi Arabia then decided to exploit the internal conflicts to expand its regional influence by invading Yemen in 2015.APC talked to Kamillia el-Eriani, who is currently teaching in sociology and politics at Melbourne University and RMIT, about the dynamics of this conflict.Asia Pacific Currents provides updates of labour struggles and campaigns from the Asia Pacific region. It is produced by Australia Asia Worker Links, in the studio of 3CR Radio in Melbourne, Australia