The Sunday Paper Podcast

This is part two of an interview with Anak Bayan Melbourne. If you haven’t listened to part one, it might be helpful to go back and listen. Part one covers the waves of colonisation, the 1896 Revolution and the history and purpose of Anak Bayan as an organisation. Part two covers the Negros 19 Massacre, Worker Resistance, forced migration and australia’s complicity.VO: The Philippines is in the top ten countries in the world for the worst working conditions. The Island of Negros is known as the sugar bowl of the Philippines for its fertile sugar plantations, however, the working class farmers of the island, like much of the Filipino population, see little of the benefit from these rich resources.On the 19th of April this year, the Armed Forces of the Philippines massacred 19 people on the Island of Negros Occidental. This wasn’t the first massacre on the island, but this time there were two US citizens among them, meaning that the usually largely ignored violence against farmers organisations briefly attracted global attention.The Sunday Paper spoke to Meah, Secretariat of International Solidarity Work for Anak Bayan, and Sunday, Chairperson for Anak Bayan Melbourne, about the struggle of the working class in The Philippines. You can learn more about Anak Bayan on their socials, Bayan Aus or Anak Bayan Melbourne. Links in the show notes. If you aren’t on this continent, look up your local chapter. Anak Bayan’s current call to action is for Filipino youth to go home and serve the people.This episode was made on stolen Kulin land. Sovereignty was never ceded and colonial violence continues both here and in The Philippines, as does Indigenous Resistance.Thanks to JD Remitar for supplying the musicIn this episode you heard the tracks “Reklamo ng Reklamo” and “Pag-ibig Ay Rebolusyon” by JD Remitar The Sunday Paper Podcast is independent, not for profit and listener supported.Matt Chun is our Executive Producer.Interview support, research and fact checking by Preeshita ShahThe Sunday Paper podcast is recorded, edited and produced by Mell Chun. Source Material for Part One and Two: https://k-hub.ca/the-philippines-labour-export-policy-and-canadas-temporary-foreign-worker-program-a-critical-examination/https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/justice-for-the-negros-19-stop-the-killings-in-the-philippines/ https://www.statista.com/chart/4237/the-countries-with-the-most-people-living-overseas/https://www.futurelearn.com/info/futurelearn-international/what-languages-are-spoken-in-the-philippineshttps://k-hub.ca/the-philippines-labour-export-policy-and-canadas-temporary-foreign-worker-program-a-critical-examination/.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666143825000341.https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/liberation-of-philippines-cecilia-gaerlan. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesundaypaperpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

We’re interrupting our special series on Kanaky this week to speak about ongoing colonial violence in another island nation in the pacific.This past Friday June the 12th, The Philippines celebrated its 128th Anniversary of Independence. The Philippines had been under Spanish colonial rule from the 1560s to their declaration of independence in 1898. However, with the ongoing political and military influence of the US empire today many Filipinos feel that The Philippines is still under a kind of colonial rule.On the 19th of April this year the Philippines Armed Forces massacred 19 people on the Island of Negros. This was part of an ongoing suppression of workers organisations by the government who many see as a puppet to the US and global market interests.To better understand the massacre and how it relates to the legacy of colonialism in The Philippines, Mell spoke to two members of Anak Bayan Naarm, a socialist Filipino youth organisation which is part of the national democratic liberation movement. We’ll hear more about Anak Bayan as an organisation in part two of this interview.But to fully understand the context of the massacre and worker exploitation in The Philippines, we need to first talk about the history of colonisation on the islands.…You can learn more about Anak Bayan on their socials, Bayan Aus or Anak Bayan Melbourne. If you aren’t on this continent, look up your local chapter.Anak Bayan’s current call to action is for Filipino youth to go home and serve the people.This episode was made on stolen Kulin land. Sovereignty was never ceded and colonial violence continues both here and in The Philippines, as does indigenous resistance.In this episode you heard the trackss “Pag-ibig Ay Rebolusyon” and “Reklamo ng Reklamo” by JD RemitarThe Sunday Paper podcast is independent, not for profit and listener supported.Matt Chun is our executive producer.Interview support, research and fact checking by Preeshita ShahThe Sunday Paper podcast is recorded, edited and produced by Mell Chun. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesundaypaperpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This is the third episode in a series of on the ground reports from Kanaky brought to you by Sunday Paper reporter Mell Chun.In this episode, Mell speaks to Muneiko Haocas, president of the National Sovereign Independence Movement, as well as their secretary general, Chrystele Marie.The National Sovereign Independence Movement or MNIS is a pro-independence party established in 2019. MNIS have been working on the ground with poor communities in the settler dominated southern provinces. Working class areas, especially those with large Kanak populations, have become increasingly disenfranchised due to industry, tourism and colonial policies.This episode was made on stolen Kanak Land and stolen Kulin Land. Sovereignty was never ceded and colonial violence continues in both these places, as does Indigenous Resistance.A special thanks to Free Kanaky Solidarity Naarm for translation and advice during the production of this series.And to producer Alain Lecante from Mangrove Productions for providing permissions for the music.In this episode you heard the track Justice Coloniale by WaanThe Sunday Paper podcast is independent, not for profit and listener supported.Matt Chun is our executive producer.This episode was made with production assistance from Preeshita Shah.The Sunday Paper podcast is recorded, edited and produced by Mell Chun. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesundaypaperpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This is the second episode in a series of on the ground reports from Kanaky brought to you by Sunday Paper reporter Mell Chun. In this episode, Mell attends a picnic, and speaks to Oriane Trolue, a feminist with decolonial politics. She is also a member of the pro-independence Oceanian movement (MOI) and is the World March of Women’s (MMF) national coordinator for Kanaky.This episode was made on stolen Kanak Land and stolen Kulin Land. Sovereignty was never ceded and colonial violence continues in both these places, as does Indigenous Resistance.A special thanks to Free Kanaky Solidarity Naarm for translation and advice during the production of this series.And to producer Alain Lecante from Mangrove Productions for providing permissions for the music.In this episode you heard the track Kanaky Libre by Humaa-Gue, composed by Chanel Ouetcho.The Sunday Paper podcast is independent, not for profit and listener supported.Matt Chun is our executive producer.The Sunday Paper podcast is recorded, edited and produced by Mell Chun. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesundaypaperpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

In September 2025, reporter Mell Chun spent 10 days in Kanaky, reporting on the French state’s suppression of the Kanak people following the uprising of May 2024, as well as their continued resistance and Independence movement. In this first episode of the series, Mell sets the scene, describing the atmosphere of state control and talking to fixer Marie* about checkpoints, police violence and the legacy of settler colonialism. If you want to learn more about Kanaky and show your support, follow Free Kanaky Solidarity Naarm on instagramYou can also donate to FKSN’s Chuffed campaign here, which goes toward food, medical supplies and legal representation for the Kanak people.The Sunday Paper and Podcast remain not for profit, independent and listener and reader supported.This episode was made on Kanak Land and Kulin Land. These lands were invaded, stolen and remains under occupation. Colonial violence continues, as does Indigenous Resistance.A special thanks to Alain Lecante from Mangrove Productions for permission to use the track Ma Kanaky by GayulazAnd to Franscisco Bagwan for his song ‘Pasifika Rising’You also heard a Kanak Song and Dance by the group We Ca CaMatt Chun is our executive producer.The Sunday Paper Podcast is compiled, mixed and edited by Mell Chun.*”Marie”is a pseudonym given to our fixer and her voice has been disguised for this story. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesundaypaperpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Before we launch into our new series on Kanaky, we wanted to replay this episode from November last year. It provides some important historical context for the coming series. This episode has been edited for brevity, but all references and statistics are from 13 months ago.Mell talks to Grand Chief Sinewami, King of Gureshaba, about the Kanak people’s fight for independence from France.Joining the conversation also is Cathy from Free Kanaky Solidarity Naarm.If you want to learn more about Kanaky and show your support, follow Free Kanaky Solidarity Naarm on instagramYou can also donate to FKSN’s Chuffed campaign here, which goes toward food, medical supplies and legal representation for the Kanak people.The Sunday Paper and Podcast remain not for profit, independent and listener and reader supported.This episode was made on Ngunnawal, Ngambri and Wurundjeri land. This land was invaded, stolen and remains under occupation. Colonial violence continues, as does Indigenous Resistance.Our theme music was made by DOBBYYou also heard the track ‘Kirikitr Reggae’ by Kirikitrand a Kanak Song and Dance by the group We Ca CaMatt Chun is our executive producer.The Sunday Paper Podcast is compiled, mixed and edited by Mell Chun. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesundaypaperpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

In September this year Sunday Paper reporter Mell Chun spent 10 days on an island in the South Pacific which you may have heard called New Caledonia. This is the land of a Melanesian people called The Kanaks who were violently colonised by France in 1853 and remain under French occupation today.In May 2024, a new French Law sparked a Kanak uprising and brutal suppression by the French military in which many Kanaks were killed, jailed and deported. Since then, discrimination against the Kanak people has intensified in every sphere of life that the colony controls. Healthcare, housing, work rights, transport, education and the justice system.…The Sunday Paper Podcast is produced on Wurundjeri land, this land was invaded, stolen and remains under occupation. Colonial violence continues, as does Indigenous Resistance.A special thanks to Free Kanaky Solidarity Naarm for translation, research and adviceAnd to Francisco Bhagwan for permission to use the track ‘Pasifika Rising’ in this piece. The podcast is compiled, mixed and edited by Mell Chun.Matt Chun is our Executive Producer. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesundaypaperpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

As the Zionist regime continues to wage its genocidal war on Palestine, there is a sense in the international community that opinion is shifting. Western nations have begun to talk about recognising Palestine and institutions are reassessing the benefit of siding with an oppressor. It's more important than ever to hear from Palestinians about what real solidarity looks like.This month, The Palestinian Feminist Collective will release a statement on Third World Feminism. This statement will articulate the necessity to define Feminism within the frameworks of grassroots anti-imperial movements of the 50s, 60s and 70s. It will divorce the movement from Imperial Feminism, which by design, aids and perpetuates the dispossession and ethnic cleansing of Indigenous people , and the theft of their resources.I spoke to Tara Alami and Yazan Zahzah about PFC’s mission and why we can’t separate Palestine from discussions of Feminism.If you want to know more about PFC’s work, check out their website: palestinianfeministcollective.org and follow them on Instagram. They are also currently calling out for donations to the Middle East Children’s Alliance to provide shelter, food, clean water, medical and psychological aid and children’s programming to Palestinians in Gaza.This episode was made on Wurundjeri land, this land was invaded, stolen and remains under occupation. Colonial violence continues, as does Indigenous Resistance.The Sunday Paper and Podcast remain independent, not for profit and reader and listener supported.Our theme music was made by DOBBY.This episode also includes the track Liberation of Palestine by Bilal and Khader Al-Ahmad.Matt Chun is our executive producer.The podcast is compiled, mixed and edited by Mell Chun. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesundaypaperpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thesundaypaperpodcast.substack.comJames Tylor is a multidisciplinary artist and writer of Kaurna, Māori and European heritage. He writes about environment, culture and history. You might remember back in Season one, Episode 12 we featured one of James’ pieces titled ‘Murlapaka: A Symbol of Kaurna Resistance’. That piece was read by Dominic Guerrera.James also co-wrote the reader to acco…

After a long hiatus we’re finally bringing you season three. We’re kicking off the season talking to Seran, a member of Solidarity for Eelam Tamils, a group focussed on education and awareness around the struggle of Eelam Tamils in so-called-Sri-LankaAnd just a warning that this episode contains non-descriptive references to sexual violence including towards childrenTamil Eelam is one of the most heavily occupied regions on earth. Eelam Tamils live under continued colonisation, ethnic cleansing and genocide by the Sri Lankan state. In some areas, there are still 2 occupying Sri Lankan soldiers for every 1 civilian. New colonies are set-up and constantly supported by the state.During the month of may, Eelam Tamils commemorate the lives lost in one of the Earth's largest massacres of the 21st century. Official statements by the International Truth and Justice Project point to around 170,000 lives lost in just the Mullivaikkal massacre during May 2009, and Eelam Tamil accounts point to a number higher than 200,000. It should be noted, that this is just one massacre, in a history deeply marked by Sinhala-supremacist anti-Tamil pogroms and government-approved massacres stretching back to the 1940s and 1950s. There has been no accountability or justice, and Sri Lanka has criminalised discussions of genocide, and banned memorialisation of those killed. This year, there was increasing legal and military repression of Eelam Tamil voices crying out for acknowledgement of genocide.Eelam Tamils are still subject to mass SA, mass disappearance (one of the highest rates of enforced disappearance on earth), displacement, torture, and even mass sterilisation in the Vanni region of Tamil Eelam. Other countries of Sri Lanka's imperialist family have continued to deny the rights of the thousands of Tamil refugees who have fled, and continue to flee oppression and torture in Eelam.We discuss the historical Eelam Tamil resistance movement against this genocide, what we refer to as "iyakkam". We also discuss the forms resistance takes today, and how recognition of genocide may be important to our hopes of future liberation.You can follow the work of Solidarity for Eelam Tamils on Instagram, and keep an eye out for upcoming events.This episode was made on Wurundjeri land and Boon Wurrung land. These lands were invaded, stolen and remain under occupation. Colonial violence continues as does Indigenous Resistance.The Sunday Paper and podcast remain independent, not for profit and reader and listener supported.Our theme music was made by DOBBY.Matt Chun is our executive producer.The podcast is compiled, mixed and edited by Mell Chun. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesundaypaperpodcast.substack.com/subscribe