Solidarity, Then the Virus
Many U.S. union activists remember Falah Alwan. As the occupation of Iraq unfolded in the summer of 2005, he and several Iraqi union leaders traveled here to make clear the impact of sanctions and invasion on his country’s workers. From one union hall to another, on both coasts and through the Midwest, Alwan and his colleagues appealed for solidarity.
In the end, the war’s damage went virtually unhealed, but the ties forged between workers and unions of the two countries have remained undiminished. Last week, as both face the coronavirus pandemic, Alwan wrote to the friends he made in those years. «The news from New York is horrible,» he commiserated. «I believe the days to come will be much worse than they are now, not only in Iraq but for you also.»
In 2005 the Iraqis effectively dramatized the human cost of U.S. policy. Today, as both countries face the coronavirus, the devastating situation of Iraq’s people calls for revisiting that question of responsibility.
On paper, the virus’s toll in Iraq today stands at 1,031 officially confirmed cases, with 64 deaths. While Iraq’s per capita count is still much smaller than that in the U.S. – 22 cases per million people to the U.S.’ 910 – the numbers don’t tell the real story. In Iraq very few people can access medical treatment, and the number of infections and deaths is much higher than that given in official statements.
This past week Reuters reported that confirmed cases numbered instead between 3000 and 9000, quoting doctors and a health official – a report that led the Iraqi government to fine the agency and revoke its reporting license for three months. The higher figure would give Iraq a per capita infection rate higher than South Korea, one of the virus’ early concentrations.
Unions and civil society organizations must now try to make up for Iraq’s political paralysis and the partial dysfunction of its government. «Because of our ruined healthcare institutions,» Alwan explains, «the government hurried to impose a general curfew [a stay-at-home order] to stop the outbreak and a rapid collapse in the whole situation.»
That had an enormous impact, especially on workers. Public employees encompass 40% of the workforce, and in theory should still be receiving salaries. But Hashmeya Alsaadawe, head of the country’s union for electricity workers and Iraq’s highest-ranking woman union leader, points out that eighty thousand of her members have already gone without wages for months because of the country’s economic crisis. Yet they are expected, and do, show up for work to provide essential services. In oil refineries and state-owned factories it’s the same situation – essential and unpaid – one of the reasons for the huge demonstrations that have challenged the government since last October.
War and occupation opened the door to iraq’s virus pandemic | David Bacon
martes 14 de abril de 2020 por Ana Lara
En: 1 Avisos y Eventos Generales
Foros Información Viral |IIBI UNAM
martes 31 de marzo de 2020 por Ana Lara
A nombre de la comunidad del Instituto de Investigaciones Bibliotecológicas y de la Información, se extiende una cordial invitación para integrarse al ciclo de foros digitales del mes de abril, que abordará el tema “Información viral».
El objetivo es analizar y aprender cómo se comporta la información en tiempos de pandemia.
Este ciclo se compone de tres foros digitales que se presentarán a las 10 am cada jueves de abril :
- Primer foro: Exceso de información y datos en época de pandemia. Jueves 2 de abril.
- Segundo foro: Desinformación y salud. Jueves 16 de abril.
- Tercer foro: Acceso abierto, lectura y trabajo académico. Jueves 23 de abril.
Solo pulse esta liga https://bit.ly/39npoqZ y usted será dirigido al canal de YouTube del IIBI. La transmisión se realizará en vivo.
En: 1 Avisos y Eventos Generales
Invitación a participar en el Tercer Concurso Nacional de Estudios Políticos y Sociales
martes 31 de marzo de 2020 por Ana Lara
La Comisión Estatal Electoral, le hace una atenta invitación a participar en el Tercer Concurso Nacional de Estudios Políticos y Sociales, el cual ésta dirigido a la ciudadanía mexicana que realice actividades de investigación de corte sociopolítico; en las categorías de Tesis de Maestría o Tesis de Doctorado. Las tesis se están recibiendo desde el 19 de febrero al 5 de junio de 2020; la fase de registro quedará cerrada en automático por el sistema a las 16:30 horas (zona horaria de la Ciudad de México), en la página web de esta Comisión www.ceenl.mx.
Las bases de la convocatoria la puede consultar en la liga: https://www.ceenl.mx/concurso/cneps/static/media/Convocatoria%20CNEPS%202020.cffdb56d.pdf
En: 1 Avisos y Eventos Generales
El Desayunador Salesiano necesita de tí
martes 31 de marzo de 2020 por Ana Lara
SE SOLICITA AYUDA PARA EL DESAYUNADOR DEL PADRE CHAVA
Ayúdanos a compartir nuestra la lista de necesidades para el Desayunador Salesiano «Padre Chava», Tijuana, B.C.
En: 1 Avisos y Eventos Generales