The South African Civil Society Information Service
A nonprofit news agency promoting social justice. Seeking answers to the question:
How do we make democracy work for the poor?
A nonprofit news agency promoting social justice. Seeking answers to the question:
How do we make democracy work for the poor?
Glenn Ashton -
Last year in the run up to the global economic meltdown, all commodities became fair game for the financial casinos of Wall Street, London, Tokyo and points between. The prices of food sky-rocketed around the world, driven by several triggers but primarily by the ability to trade futures, speculative financial instruments linked to international food commodities in the same way as resources like iron, coal, oil and gold are speculated upon as a hedge against market uncertainties.
This...
Director/producer, Edward Zwick talks about his film Blood Diamond and how iconic images in movies can prompt mainstream audiences to think about issues at a deeper level. Zwick argues that movies highlighting social issues do not create change on their own, but contribute to change as an aggregate of broader voices.
Democracy Now -
South African bishop and activist, Desmond Tutu, is interviewed by Amy Goodman of Democracy Now, a television and radio news program, pioneering the largest community media collaboration in the United States and airing on over 700 stations.
AMY GOODMAN: We turn now to the South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, one of the leading voices for peace, justice and human rights around the world, a central figure in the South African struggle against apartheid. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize...
Fazila Farouk -
Although important work is carried out in this field, we certainly don't hear enough about holding corporations accountable for the profits they pocketed during South Africa's apartheid years.
The focus of South Africa's negotiated democracy has been finding unity in forgiveness. This is important for a country looking forward and trying to construct a civilised society, but it comes with a cost.
This cost is a lack of acknowledgement for the ongoing suffering of South Africans whose human...
Actor and filmmaker, Sean Penn talks about his meetings with two Latin American leaders - Chavez and Castro - who have both been demonized by the mainstream press in the United States of America. Penn talked to Raul Castro of Cuba about Barack Obama and Guantanamo, while engaging Venezuela's Hugo Chavez on the subject of human rights. To read Penn's article Conversations with Chavez and Castro, please click here.
Heather Wokusch -
To be honest, Obama, you lost me when you voted for the Patriot Act reauthorization in 2006. You lost me again when you voted for the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) amendment in 2008. And you lost me every single time you voted for yet more war funding.
Don't even get me started on your vote for the $700 billion Wall Street bailout.
I cast a ballot for you in November, but I just can't share in this moment of collective euphoria over your election.
So, if your transition team...
