John Pilger describes the wholesale corporate takeover of the natural resources of West Papua, known as the “forgotten bird of paradise” by its impoverished indigenous people. A mountain of copper and gold, forests and fisheries, oil and gas: the “acquisition” of untold riches, sanctioned by the Suharto tyranny, was unique and remains a metaphor for “globalisation”.
Normalising the crime of the century
John Pilger describes the lonely death of an honourable man, a whistleblower, as striking contrast to those British politicians and officials now running for cover from the part they played in the invasion of Iraq, the crime of the 21st century.
Welcome to Orwell’s world 2010
John Pilger draws on George Orwell’s prophetic novel Nineteen Eighty-Four to describe a superstate where truth and lies are indivisible, and peace is no longer peace, but rather a permanent war that, in the words of President Obama, the Nobel Peace Prize winner, “extends well beyond Afghanistan and Pakistan”.
FOR ISRAEL, A RECKONING
John Pilger describes the growing boycott, disinvestment and sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine. Based on the anti-apartheid campaign that helped bring down the racist regime in South Africa, BDS is becoming a catch-cry for freedom in countries whose governments continue to ignore the Palestinians’ struggle against another form of apartheid and which Nelson Mandela has described as “the greatest moral issue of our time”.
The kidnapping of Haiti
John Pilger describes the “swift and crude” appropriation of earthquake-ravaged Haiti by the militarised Obama administration. With George W. Bush attending to the “relief effort” and Bill Clinton the UN’s man, The Comedians – Graham Green’s dark novel about exploted Haiti – comes to mind.
Why the Oscars are a con
John Pilger asks why directors and writers allow Hollywood formula propaganda to dominate the movies, with a hot contender for the Oscars airbrushing a million dead Iraqis, Clint Eastwood dispatching the truth of the struggle against apartheid and George Clooney amusing himself with the same old stereotypes.
LISTEN TO THE HEROES OF ISRAEL
John Pilger reminds us of the struggle by an extraordinary few in Israel against the repression and lawlessness of the occupation of Palestine. They are the inspiration to break the loud silence in the Jewish diaspora.
Welcome to the violent world of Mr. Hopey Changey
In his latest column for the New Statesman, John Pilger describes a new colonial phase as the Western powers seek to turn back the Arab revolution that began in January. The newly endowed ‘warrior president’ is leading the charge.
