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Publication Reviews: Nationalist Struggles
By Ed Mead
Nationalist Struggles
You will no more learn the truth about various nationalist struggles going on around the world by merely reading the bourgeois media than you will learn about the realities of this nation's criminal justice system by watching TV news. If you are really interested in knowing both sides of an issue, you must be exposed to both sides. This does not mean a "debate" between liberal and conservative factions of the CIA, which currently passes for objective reporting, but rather a reading of the writings of the oppressed people themselves. One must have more that the illusion of being informed. In order to obtain a better grasp of criminal justice issues in the U.S., for example, you would read not just Newsweek, the Times, etc., but material like PLN as well. Indeed, for a genuine democracy to exist there must first be an informed population.
Because of the relatively large number of papers representing the various nationalist struggles, I will not have the space to list them all in one review. What I will do is break them down into regions, such as the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Latin America, and North America. And then print as many as I can every month or so. I'll start with the Middle East. The following publications help me to better understand what is happening both around the world and here at home. It is my hope that you will find them helpful.
Democratic Palestine is published quarterly with the aim of conveying the political line and thinking of progressive Palestinian and Arab forces. DP provides analysis pertinent to the Palestinian liberation struggle, as well as developments on the Arab and international levels. An annual subscription to this magazine can be obtained by sending $16.00 to account number 576057, c/o Katja Alheden, Lovgatan 6A, S-43135, Molndal, Sweden, or writing a bum letter to Democratic Palestine, Box 30192, Damascus, Syria.
Forward is a monthly Palestinian magazine dedicated to "the liberation of land and man." While Democratic Palestine is more political in the theoretical sense, a strength that is appealing to me, Forward contains more news, especially articles about Palestinian prisoners and exposure of Israeli torture. Annual subscriptions are $30.00 per year from P.O. Box 5092, Damascus, Syria. Prisoners may be able to get a free subscription by writing and expressing a genuine interest in regional affairs.
Middle East Report is a U.S. based publication that comes out bi-monthly (six times per year). It's put out by the Middle East Research & Information Project. MER is the least political of the magazines reviewed, perhaps because it's printed here in the heartland of international imperialism. But even if liberal, the articles are well written and often informative. The last issue had articles like "Rethinking Jews and Muslims," and "Yitzhak Rabin and Israel's Death Squads." Subscriptions are $25.00 a year from 1500 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington DC 20005.
Challenge is a Tel Aviv-based bi-monthly written by Jews and Arabs for the international community concerned with peace in the Middle East, particularly with a solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. They advocate a two-state solution to this conflict. Challenge has articles on Palestinian prisoners, the ongoing land takeovers in the occupied territories, and the effects of the Zionist occupation of Palestinian lands. While this is not a political publication in the sense of Democratic Palestine, it's nonetheless a very informative one. A year's subscription is $30.00 from Challenge/Etgar, P.O. Box 1575 Jerusalem Israel.
Al-Fajr is a Jerusalem based Palestinian weekly newspaper that provides hews and analysis of events important to those living in Jerusalem. They also report on the situation in the occupied areas, as well as the conditions experienced by Palestinians being held in Israeli prisons. Al-Fajr is not explicitly political, but it is informative. Subscriptions are $40 a year, or a sincere bum letter, to Al-Fajr Palestinian Weekly, 16 Crowell Street, Hempstead, NY 11550.
The Other Israel is a small bi-monthly newsletter published by the Israeli Council for Israeli-Palestinian Peace. TOI provides readers with an analysis of news and events taking place in Israel from a more progressive point of view than that provided by the ruling class media outlets. The newsletter is $15 per year for the unemployed and students, and can be obtained from P.O. Box 2542, Holon 58125, Israel.
Kurdistan Report is a monthly magazine that focuses on the Kurdish liberation struggle. Kurdistan occupies parts of Iran, Syria, Iraq, Turkey, and the former Soviet Union. The Kurdish nationalist movement is divided into bourgeois and revolutionary factions. The Kurdistan Report represents the latter trend. This is one of the best publications one can get for in depth information on developments taking place in this quickly changing region. For subscription information write to: Kurdistan Solidarity Committee, 44 Ainger Road, London NW3 3AT England.
Nationalist Struggles
You will no more learn the truth about various nationalist struggles going on around the world by merely reading the bourgeois media than you will learn about the realities of this nation's criminal justice system by watching TV news. If you are really interested in knowing both sides of an issue, you must be exposed to both sides. This does not mean a "debate" between liberal and conservative factions of the CIA, which currently passes for objective reporting, but rather a reading of the writings of the oppressed people themselves. One must have more that the illusion of being informed. In order to obtain a better grasp of criminal justice issues in the U.S., for example, you would read not just Newsweek, the Times, etc., but material like PLN as well. Indeed, for a genuine democracy to exist there must first be an informed population.
Because of the relatively large number of papers representing the various nationalist struggles, I will not have the space to list them all in one review. What I will do is break them down into regions, such as the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Latin America, and North America. And then print as many as I can every month or so. I'll start with the Middle East. The following publications help me to better understand what is happening both around the world and here at home. It is my hope that you will find them helpful.
Democratic Palestine is published quarterly with the aim of conveying the political line and thinking of progressive Palestinian and Arab forces. DP provides analysis pertinent to the Palestinian liberation struggle, as well as developments on the Arab and international levels. An annual subscription to this magazine can be obtained by sending $16.00 to account number 576057, c/o Katja Alheden, Lovgatan 6A, S-43135, Molndal, Sweden, or writing a bum letter to Democratic Palestine, Box 30192, Damascus, Syria.
Forward is a monthly Palestinian magazine dedicated to "the liberation of land and man." While Democratic Palestine is more political in the theoretical sense, a strength that is appealing to me, Forward contains more news, especially articles about Palestinian prisoners and exposure of Israeli torture. Annual subscriptions are $30.00 per year from P.O. Box 5092, Damascus, Syria. Prisoners may be able to get a free subscription by writing and expressing a genuine interest in regional affairs.
Middle East Report is a U.S. based publication that comes out bi-monthly (six times per year). It's put out by the Middle East Research & Information Project. MER is the least political of the magazines reviewed, perhaps because it's printed here in the heartland of international imperialism. But even if liberal, the articles are well written and often informative. The last issue had articles like "Rethinking Jews and Muslims," and "Yitzhak Rabin and Israel's Death Squads." Subscriptions are $25.00 a year from 1500 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington DC 20005.
Challenge is a Tel Aviv-based bi-monthly written by Jews and Arabs for the international community concerned with peace in the Middle East, particularly with a solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. They advocate a two-state solution to this conflict. Challenge has articles on Palestinian prisoners, the ongoing land takeovers in the occupied territories, and the effects of the Zionist occupation of Palestinian lands. While this is not a political publication in the sense of Democratic Palestine, it's nonetheless a very informative one. A year's subscription is $30.00 from Challenge/Etgar, P.O. Box 1575 Jerusalem Israel.
Al-Fajr is a Jerusalem based Palestinian weekly newspaper that provides hews and analysis of events important to those living in Jerusalem. They also report on the situation in the occupied areas, as well as the conditions experienced by Palestinians being held in Israeli prisons. Al-Fajr is not explicitly political, but it is informative. Subscriptions are $40 a year, or a sincere bum letter, to Al-Fajr Palestinian Weekly, 16 Crowell Street, Hempstead, NY 11550.
The Other Israel is a small bi-monthly newsletter published by the Israeli Council for Israeli-Palestinian Peace. TOI provides readers with an analysis of news and events taking place in Israel from a more progressive point of view than that provided by the ruling class media outlets. The newsletter is $15 per year for the unemployed and students, and can be obtained from P.O. Box 2542, Holon 58125, Israel.
Kurdistan Report is a monthly magazine that focuses on the Kurdish liberation struggle. Kurdistan occupies parts of Iran, Syria, Iraq, Turkey, and the former Soviet Union. The Kurdish nationalist movement is divided into bourgeois and revolutionary factions. The Kurdistan Report represents the latter trend. This is one of the best publications one can get for in depth information on developments taking place in this quickly changing region. For subscription information write to: Kurdistan Solidarity Committee, 44 Ainger Road, London NW3 3AT England.
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