On Nov. 29 five Mapuche rights activists were in the 51st day of a hunger strike at the Angol prison in Chile's Region IX. Each of the hunger strikers—Mapuches Jaime Marileo Saravia, Juan Millalen Milla, Hector Llaitul Carrillanca and Jose Huenchunao and non-Mapuche Patricia Troncoso Roble—has lost more than 15 kilos. The five prisoners have been on hunger strike since Oct. 10 to demand the release of more than 20 indigenous Mapuche activists they consider political prisoners; an end to the militarization of the traditional Mapuche territories; and an end to repression against Mapuche activists.

Having lost his constitution reform vote by a razor-thin margin, Venezuela's President Hugo Chávez said he will accept the results—with caveats. "I faced a great dilemma," he said. "I wanted to wait until the results were irreversible, but we cannot subject the Venezuelan people to a long wait... I am proud of this effort." He admitted: "For now, we can't do it." (El Universal, Mexico, Dec. 3) "This is not a defeat. This is another 'for now,"' Chávez said, repeating a famous quote from when, as a paratrooper in 1992, he acknowledged his coup attempt had failed. (Reuters, Dec. 3)

Last week, a US-Canada oil pipeline exploded in Minnesota, briefly affecting global prices—and highlighting the criticality of Canadian resources to the US and global economy. Our November issue featured the story "Flashpoint in the Flathead: US-Canada War Looms Over Energy, Water" by WW4 REPORT editor Bill Weinberg, noting resource conflicts now brewing in regions that span the border—such as the Flathead Valley, where coal mining on the British Columbia side is opposed by farmers and environmentalists downstream in Montana. Writes Weinberg: "While on the economic front all talk is currently of integration and falling trade barriers, battles are already being waged by the grassroots both sides of the border against resource plunder and mega-development schemes. These could eventually mean war between the two longtime allies if a populist government comes to power in Ottawa and tries to turn off the spigot of south-bound resources—and the Pentagon has already drawn up plans for this contingency." Our November Exit Poll was: "Which is a more likely prophecy of the future: George Orwell's 1984 or Michael Moore's Canadian Bacon? (In other words, is the US on a trajectory towards eventual war with Canada, or are we just paranoid?)" We received the following responses:

Colombian prosecutors on Nov. 22 ordered the detention of an army captain, Guillermo Gordillo, for participating with paramilitary killers in the massacre of eight civilians, including three children, in San José de Apartadó in February 2005. (Fiscalia press release, Nov, 22) "The community was right," read the Semana headline about Gordillo's detention Nov. 24. The case led to the suspension of more than $70 million in US military aid that year. The prosecutors' move acknowledges what Peace Community leaders said from the beginning, but was categorically denied by Colombian Vice-President Francisco Santos (nominally designated as the Colombian state's human rights representative) and high military officials.

On Nov. 23, approximately 5,500 Colombian and Ecuadoran women marched for demilitarization, to end violence against women, to construct peace with dignity and social justice and for a negotiated solution to the conflict. Their celebration was to mark Nov. 25, the International Day to End Violence Against Women. This was the seventh year that women from all over Colombia mobilized "to make visible" an area of conflict in the country and specifically, how that conflict impacts women. Women marched from Tulcan, Ecuador and Ipiales, Colombia: they met at the international bridge of Rumichaca, the border between the two countries.

From the Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador (CISPES), Nov 27:

Brutal Government Attacks on Community of Cutumay Camones Continue
On November 22, the community of Cutumay Camones was again brutally attacked by the Salvadoran riot police (UMO). The community, in their continuous resistance to the construction of a garbage dump, blocked the entrance of the construction site. Orlando Mena, Santa Ana's mayor, joined with Police Director Rodrigo Avila in sending more than 300 riot police to "dissolve the protest," attacking the community with tear gas fired from surrounding helicopters.

Children exposed to World Trade Center dust are at much higher risk for respiratory problems, according to a New York City Health Department survey. The survey of the 3,100 children who are enrolled in the city's World Trade Center Health Registry found that being caught in the dust cloud in the immediate aftermath of 9-11 was the single biggest risk factor in developing respiratory problems. Half of all children enrolled in the registry developed a new or worsening breathing problem. But those who were caught in the massive dust plume were diagnosed with asthma at double the rate of those who were not. (Newsday, Nov. 29)

From the International Federation of Journalists, Nov. 23, via AllAfrica:

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today urged President Mamadou Tandja of Niger to take strong action for the release of two journalists accused of criminal offences following their coverage of the Tuareg rebellion in Niger.