Accent of Women

It’s 11 years since the collapse of Rana Plaza, a building in Dhaka, Bangladesh that housed some 5 garment factories. More than 1100 workers died on 24 April 2013 but this was no accident. Workers and in fact, just about every body, knew that the building was unstable. It was built on a pond, without the correct construction permits, extra floors were added to the building illegally, and the heavy equipment associated with the garment industry all meant that the building couldn’t hold the weight of its contents.But also, on the day of the collapse, cracks had appeared in the walls of the building, and the other tenants – banks, small shops, they all closed for the day. But the garment workers were not afforded this basic safety measure. They were forced to work that day on threat of losing an entire months wages. They staged massive protests outside the building, but were eventually forced inside because of the unrelenting poverty that they are subjected to.So Rana Plaza was no accident – it was, it is, Industrial murder. 11 years on, these workers are fighting for an across the board wage increase. Their year long campaign has had some gains. Joining me today to discuss the wage case and the anniversary of Rana Plaza, I am joined by Taslima Akhter.

On this week’s show, we return take a closer look at a number of campaigns that have emerged in Australia in the wake of the genocide in Gaza. Specifically, anti-weapons manufacturing campaigns and demilitarisation campaigns.My guests today are Palestinian/Syrian woman Nathalie Farrah from Disrupt Wars and the Get Elbit Industries out of Australia campaign. And Palestinian activist, Dana Alshaer from Melbourne University Students for Palestine Action Group.

A recent military escalation in West Papua is the latest episode in a long history of repression and dispossession since the island came under Indonesian control. But the authorities in Jakarta still haven’t been able to stabilize their rule over West Papua.On today’s show, Accent of Women looks at the Resistance of the West Papuan people. 3CR’s Priya Kunjan spoke with leading Human Rights Activist in Indonesia, Vanessa Koman.

On this week’s show, we’re gonna chat about an exciting new book that’s being released in a couple of weeks’ time, called, “An Unexpected Life”, it documents the stories of 11 Canberra based women who are migrants to Australia, their journeys to this country, their successes and failures and loves and regrets. And interwoven across these 11 women’s stories, is that of the author herself,Vesna Cvjeticanin. I had the privilege and pleasure of chatting with Vesna about her book.

The Migration Amendment (Removal and Other Measures) Bill proposes amendments to the Migration Act to deal with situations where non-citizens subject to removal are not cooperating with government authorities, or where their own government refuses to take them back. It is widely understood to be a response to the High Court’s ruling in November 2023 that found indefinite immigration detention to be unlawful.It’s also considered an attempt to pre-empt further litigation scheduled in the High Court. The case of an Iranian man refusing to cooperate in his deportation is due before the court next month. However, the amendments introduced in the bill go far beyond addressing this issue. They have wide-ranging impacts for how non-citizens are treated in Australia, and indeed for Australia’s relationship with governments around the world.My guest today is refugee, and refugee activist, Lavanya Thavaraja.

On this week’s show, we return our gaze to Gaza and the genocide of the Palestinian people there. It’s been almost 6 months since Israel launched its genocidal campaign of bombardment against the people of Gaza, ostensibly in response to Hamas’ attack on Nir Oz Kibbutz on the 7 October. The war has killed over 40,000 Palestinians, with some 1.2 million people now displaced in Rafah, with no where to go. All negotiations for a ceasefire have failed.First up, Rasha Abbas, the founder of Palestine Australia Relief and Action – this newly formed charity is supporting Palestinian refugees arriving in Australia. Then later in the show, Dana Alshaer, from UniMelb students for Palestine who are campaigning against the interests of weapons manufacturing companies in Australia’s higher education system. Companies such as Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems and Boeing – are amongst the 5 largest weapons manufacturing companies in the world, and they fund research and PhDs at a range of universities including Melbourne University. Donate to PARA if you're able to: https://para.org.au/

23,000 Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander children in out of home care.Grandmothers Against Removals is an organisation – actually started by Lidia Thorpe – that aims to end the removal of Aboriginal children, or at the very least, place them with family members.GMAR Victoria was established in recognition of the disproportionate representation of Aboriginal children in out-of-home-care. They’re all volunteers. They’re all Aboriginal grandmothers. GMAR’s volunteers understand first hand the impacts of colonisation on Aboriginal families and seeks to mitigate these in order to keep families together.I had the opportunity to speak with one of the lead volunteers, Aunty Rieo Ellis. https://www.mycause.com.au/charity/62924/GrandmothersAgainstRemovalsGMARVICTORIA

On this week’s show, our last piece of coverage from the ASEAN (the Association of South East Asian Nations) meeting in Melbourne on 4, 5 & 6 of March, and today we continue our focus on Myanmar.Since the violent military coup on February 1, 2021, the people of Myanmar have staunchly rejected military rule, demonstrating resilience through the widespread Civil Disobedience Movement. Over the past three years, the country has continued to reject military governance and has mobilised an effective alternative - the civilian government, known as the National Unity Government (NUG), which continues to consolidate its rightful claim to leadership.Today’s guest is Debbie Stothard, the founding member of the Alternative ASEAN on Burma was in Melbourne for the Myanmar People’s Summit, which was held alongside and in opposition to the ASEAN Special Summit.

Since the violent military coup on February 1, 2021, the people of Myanmar have staunchly rejected military rule, demonstrating resilience through the widespread Civil Disobedience Movement. Over the past three years, the country has continued to reject military governance and has mobilised an effective alternative - the civilian government, known as the National Unity Government (NUG), which continues to consolidate its rightful claim to leadership.In opposition to, and alongside the ASEAN summit, the Myanmar People's Summit, convened by civil society, took place on March 4, 2024, at the United Workers Union offices in Melbourne. This summit represents a unified stance in support of a civilian and democratic government in Myanmar and aims to amplify the strongest support for civilian rule to ASEAN leaders attending the ASEAN Special Summit in Melbourne, hosted by the Australian Prime Minister.A special thank you to Tasneem Roc at APHEDA for providing the audio for this week's show, and if you'd like to get involved in any solidarity work with Myanmar, contact Tasneem on troc@apheda.org.au.

The Albanese Government has invited Ferdinand Bong Bong Marcos Junior to address the Australian Parliament on Thursday the 29th February. Bong Bong Marcos Junior is the son of former brutal dictator, Ferdinand Marcos Snr, who was deposed in 1986. The apple does not fall far from the tree, and Marcos Junior is shaping up to be quite the dictator himself. Marcos’ visit coincides with the ASEAN summit, scheduled to take place in Melbourne on the 4, 5 & 6 of March.Progressive Filipinos in Australia are mobilising against Marcos Junior and protesting against his visit and speaking engagements. Guest: Alexia Fuentes from Anakbayan Melbourne. https://www.instagram.com/anakbayanmelbourne/

It’s been 130 days of war and genocide in Palestine. The world watches on and there is no ceasefire in sight. Israel continues to play the victim. Netanyahu is now promising to bombard Rafah – where they have sent over 1.5 million Palestinians to escape from bombardments in the north.Ahmad Tibi, a Knesset member, and Palestinian citizen of Israel, is urging the international community to “stop this war”. He has said that anyone who intends to invade Rafah intends to commit a war crime’ At least 67 Palestinians were killed in Israeli air and sea attacks on Rafah early on Monday 12 February, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza.On Accent of Women today, we continue our coverage of the massive demonstrations country wide calling on the Australian government to refund UNRWA; to call for a ceasefire; to stop arming Israel, and to stop supporting genocide.

January 26. Australia Day. It marks the anniversary of the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet of British Ships at Port Jackson, in New South Wales, the raising of the Flag of Great Britain at that site by Governor Arthur Phillip, the invasion of Australia and the start of genocide against the original owners of this land. January 26 is a day of mourning and a day of struggle, marked by big, loud, powerful Invasion Day rallies right across the country. In Melbourne, over 100,000 people marched in solidarity with First Nations People and on today’s Accent of Women, I bring you some of the voices from that rally.

It’s been more than a year since the U.S. Supreme Court wiped out half a century of federally protected abortion rights. Since then, the speed and breadth of far-right attacks on reproductive justice has been breathtaking. So has the resistance on the ground.Nga Bui, coordinator of the Mobilisation for Reproductive Justice in New York City, joins me today to speak about the war on women, trans folks and queers, people of colour, Indigenous, disabled, working class and poor. If you’re based in Melbourne and you’d like to get along and hear Nga speak further on this topic, the details are: Saturday, 6 January at 4.00 pmThorne Harbour Health, 200 Hoddle St, AbbotsfordContact rw.aus@radicalwomen.org

As we enter the 10th week of bombardment in Gaza, and over 17,000 people there have now been slain. It becomes clearer and clearer that these atrocities have very little to do with avenging the 240 hostages taken, and it always was about pushing Palestinians out of the tiny Gaza strip and occupying it. Hamas is only active in Gaza, but the killings and repression are unabated in the West Bank.So today, we return to our coverage of the movement in support and solidarity with the Palestinians – millions upon millions of people worldwide are protesting, are resisting are saying, not in our name, to the genocide unfolding in Palestine.On today’s program, Accent of Women brings you speeches from the Sydney rally, held on Sunday 3 December. First up Reem Burrows.

One of Myanmar’s most powerful ethnic armed alliances launched a coordinated attack, on 27 October, attacking a dozen military outposts in northern Shan State, along the country’s eastern border with China.Code-named Operation 1027, the plan is to assert and defend territory against Myanmar military incursions, eradicate “oppressive military dictatorship”, and combat online fraud along the border, according to a statement from its organisers, the Three Brotherhood Alliance.My guest today is the Debbie Stothard. Debbie is an active promoter of human rights in Burma and the Asean region. In1996, she founded the Alternative Asean Network on Burma. During her 32 year career, she has worked as a journalist, community education consultant, governmental advisor and trainer in Malaysia, Australia and Thailand.

Bangladeshi textiles works in the Ready Made Garment (RMG) industry have been taking industrial action for most of this year in pursuit of an increase in the minimum wage to meet soaring prices on basic commodities owing to an economic inflation crisis.These protests have been met with fierce repression, including reports of at least four workers having been killed by police, and more than 11,000 being charged with violence and vandalism.The secretary of Garment Workers Solidarity, and a garment worker himself, Babul Hossain, was kidnapped in October and then discovered as being arrested on November 14. He is facing trumped up charges and false allegations related to setting fire to a car.The Bangladeshi government is using violence, torture, disappearances and arrests to try to stifle what is the biggest uprising of garment workers in over a decade. And meanwhile, workers remain malnourished and struggling to meet the basic requirements of life.My guest today is the President of Bangladesh Garment Workers Solidarity, Taslima Akter.

On Sunday, October 22nd Black Women Radicals hosted the online event, “Black Feminist Writers and Palestine."This online event focused on the importance of the Black feminist literary and political canon and the mandate of Black feminist commitments to a free Palestine. Angela Davis is well known to many listeners and she is am activist and an academic at the University of California Santa Cruz.Beverley Guy Sheftall is also a political activist and academic, and she is based at Spellman College in Atlanta Georgia.Because this public meeting was held about a month ago, some of the statistics in relation to Gaza are a number of weeks out of date. To hear the full event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl7lPMBneAs

Accent of Women broadcasts a speech by Angela Davis from 2013 – 10 years ago. This talk is called Justice for Palestine and the Stop G4S campaign. I broadcast this speech, at this point in time, to remind us all that this current bombardment did not start on October 7 and did not start with Hamas’ defensive attack on Israel. This speech was given in memorium of Nelson Mandela’s death only a few weeks earlier, and Angela Davis here draws the links between South African and Israeli Apartheid.

Israel’s genocidal bombardment of Gaza has intensified its yet again, though now it’s becoming less and less easy for world leaders to support it. The international movement for a Free Palestine is marching in its millions world wide and growing by the day. More than 10,000 people are now reported to have been killed across the Gaza Strip, and residents of the West Bank are systematically being harrassed and assaulted and murdered by Israeli settlers. On today’s program, Accent of Women continues it’s coverage and analysis of the situation in Gaza. Today, we bring you a speech by Palestinian human rights lawyer and academic at Rudgers University, Noura Erakat.

It’s now over three weeks that Israel has intensified its genocidal war against Gaza and the international movement for a Free Palestine is marching in its millions world wide. More than 7,000 people are now reported to have been killed across the Gaza Strip, and residents of the West Bank are systematically being harrassed and assaulted by Israeli settlers. On today’s program, I bring you noises and speeches from various Free Palestine rallies held over the last three weeks in Melbourne. The Featured voices are: Tasnim Mahmoud Sammak, Kim Bullimore, Mille Cohen, May Mourad and our gorgeous singer, Aseel Taya.