Guinea-Bissau is a West African country suffering hugely from South American drug cartels. It’s a major cocaine transit nation between South America and Europe. Vice has published my major investigation, with heaps of fresh reporting, on the country. It also features heavily in my book, Pills, Powder and Smoke: Inside the Bloody War on Drugs.…
How prohibited cocaine is destroying Honduras
Foreign Policy has published an adapted extract on Honduras from my book, Pills, Powder and Smoke: Inside the Bloody War on Drugs. I’ve updated and slightly expanded some details about a country that’s suffering more than most from the US-led drug war. Honduras is a key transit country for South American cocaine. PDF here: In…
Narcotica podcast interview on the global drug war
My new book, Pills, Powder and Smoke: Inside the Bloody War on Drugs, is now out in the US. I was interviewed on the popular US podcast Narcotica on the research in the book and how the drug war is (too often) self-sustaining.
In solidarity with Julian Assange and Wikileaks
I’m honoured to have signed this statement, alongside some of the world’s best journalists, in support of Julian Assange and the vital work of Wikileaks since 2006: Julian Assange, founder and publisher of WikiLeaks, is currently detained in Belmarsh high-security prison in the United Kingdom and faces extradition to the United States and criminal prosecutionunder…
The 2019 Jerusalem Peace Prize speech and Q&A
At the recent ceremony of the 2019 Jerusalem Peace Prize, one of Australia’s leading peace awards that I won, I gave a speech on the themes of the night and then spoke with esteemed journalist Mary Kostakidis about my work on Israel/Palestine, drugs, disaster capitalism, Wikileaks etc. Here’s the video of my speech and Q&A…
Al Jazeera Arabic film on privatised war in Yemen
Al Jazeera Arabic just released a documentary on the brutal war in Yemen, the use of militias and how the conflict is being privatised with violent contractors. I’m interviewed in the film (not because I’ve been to Yemen but due to my extensive work post 9/11 on the use/abuse of private contractors in war). An…
My Jerusalem Peace Prize acceptance speech
Last week I was awarded the Jerusalem Peace Prize in Melbourne Australia for my 15 years of work on Israel and Palestine. It was a surreal and rather overwhelming evening at Victoria’s Parliament House in front of 150 people. The audience was a diverse combination of Palestine supporters, Palestinians, Arabs and dear friends and family.…
On illegal Israeli colonies in the West Bank (and their legality or otherwise)
The Trump administration recently announced that illegal Israeli settlements in Palestine don’t violate international law (a view held by virtually nobody). I was interviewed by international broadcaster TRT World about the decision: Despite the enormous pressure from Israel and divided leadership, most Palestinians still want to stay in their homeland at any cost. “The truth…
In defence of human rights in Chile – open letter to the Australian community
Happy to sign the following important letter, partly initiated by my friend Dr. Rodrigo Acuña: Sydney, 24 November 2019 We express our deep concerns about human rights violations taking place in Chile, including the de facto war that billionaire President Sebastian Piñera has unleashed on his people. On 18 October, Chilean students took to the streets to protest…
Talking serious drug reform at the Melbourne Town Hall
During my recent Australian tour for my book, Pills, Powder and Smoke: Inside the Bloody War on Drugs, the biggest event, organised by Drug Policy Australia, was held at the Melbourne Town Hall in front of 700 people. Alongside star panelists Fiona Patten, Mick Palmer, Laura Turner, Greg Barns and Tania de Jong, and host…