Published in Socialist Unity Centre of india Central Organ on 15th. Sept.2004
Iraq War Crimes Tribunal in New York People hold Bush guilty of war crimes 'We have a right and an obligation to resist and to stand in solidarity with the resistance, from Najaf to Palestine to Haiti.' 'Join us for the Week of Resistance, starting with the Thursday, August 26 Iraq War Crimes Tribunal.' 'We have an absolute right and, indeed, an obligation to gather together in the largest possible numbers in New York City during the coming week.' Such were the pronouncements of the American people on the eve of historic rally of 500,000 people not only from different parts of United States of America, but from different countries of the world too, centring round the Iraq War Crimes Tribunal at New York City organized by the International Action Center under the leadership of Ramsey Clark, the former US Attorney General and the founder of the IAC. All this took place as New York was under siege by tens of thousands of police preparing for protests at the Republican National Convention. The hundreds attending the tribunal had to wait in long lines to pass police-imposed security checks. 'There has been an exciting struggle here in New York, with much participation from young people. They have defied heavy police repression of a kind I've never seen before in New York (not that the brutality is new-it's the overwhelming show of force)'. Thus went the report from John Catalinotto of the IAC, informing the world about those historic events in New York City. The Iraq War Crimes Tribunal was held in New York City on August 26 at the Martin Luther King Auditorium. At the invitation of the IAC, Comrade Manik Mukherjee, Vice President, All India Anti-Imperialist Forum (AIAIF) and Central Staff, SUCI, participated all through the proceedings on this occasion. The Tribunal had a series of Hearings, numbering 10, each dealing with particular aspects in relation to the war crimes perpetrated by the US imperialism and its allies as also to the anti-imperialist movements. Comrade Mukherjee spoke as one of the witnesses in the Hearing 10, entitled The Right of Self-determination and the Right of Resistance. His speech is summarized below. Comrade Manik Mukherjee addresses tribunal Congratulating the IAC for organizing the Iraq War crimes Tribunal, Comrade Mukherjee showed how on the question of India's relation with US imperialism, the Indian rulers and people stand right apart. He pointed out that this relationship can only be properly appreciated in the background of twists and turns in the relationship between India and USA through years. Since the emergence of the independent Indian capitalist state in 1947, the Indian ruling bourgeoisie, already at the stage of monopoly, was guided by the overriding aspiration of developing and consolidating its national capitalist economy. At that time, impressed upon and attracted to by fast, all-out growth of the Soviet planned economy under Stalin, the crisis-ridden capitalist economy of different countries of the world, themselves were adopting planned economy in different forms. Indian planned economy was simply a variant of this general trend in the capitalist world. India, like other newly independent countries like India, were also in a position to bargain between and to wrest concessions from the two existing camps, the capitalist-imperialist, headed by US imperialism and the socialist, headed by Soviet Union. Hence arose the Non Aligned Movement or NAM providing these countries a common foothold on which they could acquire the bargaining strength. By receiving Soviet help and support or by standing against imperialists on any particular issue, these countries, however, did not assume any progressive nor a pro-socialist character; rather they utilized it to consolidate capitalism further in their respective countries. Quoting from the brilliant analysis of the post-second world war international situation by Comrade Shibdas Ghosh, the founder General Secretary our party SUCI, Comrade Mukherjee, then showed how with more and more consolidation of the national capitalist economy of India, the internal market crisis aggravated, the ruling class developed a military-industry complex to stave off the crisis, the Indian state developed all signs of fascization, curtailing democratic rights of people and becoming more attached to militarism and bureaucracy and the Indian capitalists sought for external market, exported Indian finance capital to other countries, particularly of Asia and Africa, thus turning into an imperialist power itself becoming a junior partner of the world imperialist trust and cartel. Side by side it tried hard to establish its hegemony over the Indian subcontinent and developed expansionist tendencies too, with aspirations to be recognized as a superpower at least in the South Asia. It tried to exploit the contradiction between the imperialist countries and the newly independent bourgeois countries, posing itself as the spokesman of the NAM, at the same time penetrating into the market of those countries. US imperialism chose Pakistan and played on the Kashmir and other issues against India. At the same time India's design to develop as a superpower in South Asia brought about its conflict with China and it thus fell easy prey to the US policy of containment of China, that is containment of socialism. Comrade Mukherjee then showed that with dismantling of the socialist camp and counter-revolution in Soviet Union and China, as also consequent disappearance of the NAM, pressure of the bigger imperialist powers, their agenda of globalization-privatization-liberalization came down heavily and unavoidably upon countries like India. At the same time it fitted well with the long-cherished aspirations of the Indian national monopolies and provided them with the opportunity to expand, in collusion with the bigger imperialist powers, further into the global market as an important partner of the world capitalism-imperialism. As a result, they tended to develop a more thick and thin relation with imperialists, particularly US imperialists. Evidences emerge from stepping up of Indo-US military ties, arms trade and even joint military exercises since nineties of the last century. In the process, India has emerged as the third largest spender on military, behind only the US and China. It even aspires for a G8 membership, for a permanent berth in the Security Council. The bonhomie of the Indian bourgeoisie with imperialism, particularly US imperialism has reached such a stage that they dream for a rendezvous not just with US imperialists; they desire to include Israel, the barbarous brainchild and handiwork of imperialism, in their triumvirate of self-proclaimed democracies. However, contradiction continues to persist, as these capitalists-imperialists vie for a share of the crisis-ridden global market only with a view to staving off their own crisis. This basic character determines the nature of relationship between the Indian bourgeoisie and US imperialism. All the major parliamentary political parties, their combinations or their governments, all follow the same line. Differences only lie in their verbiage. Pro-imperialist character of the Congress, most ardent proponent of NAM was also evident during Indo-China conflict and sending medical aid for invading US army in North Korea. The rabid-rightist Hindu communal BJP has always been nakedly pro-imperialist. The Congress tried to maintain cordiality with Arab nations, not for ideology or religion, but to exploit Arab market and appease the Muslim community for vote politics. It also established relations with Zionist Isreal that the BJP later thrived on. BJP government even sent Indian soldiers there for training against insurgency and terrorism. Now Congress has reconfirmed military hardware and arms deals with that country. Comrade Mukherjee pointed out that the recent Congress-led and Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI(M) supported, UPA government has also decided to allow US installed Iraqi government to open consulate in Mumbai even in the face of condemnation by SUCI as a clever manoeuvre to give virtual recognition to US puppet regime in flagrant violation of Indian people's deep sentiment against invasion and occupation of Iraq by US imperialism. On the question of sending troops to Iraq, too, the new Indian government deserves no special credit for deciding not to send troops at this moment; it was also a decision that the earlier government had to reach under people's pressure. The US rulers keep on pressurizing India. The latter, in turn, desires to fulfill its dream for developing into a superpower now through its closeness with US imperialism. In addition, Indian monopolists bear a strong craving for a share of the booty from Iraq, its precious oil, or reconstruction of its war-ravaged economy and thus wants to come to terms with US imperialists, if necessary. However, the Indian ruling class and the government face strong opposition from people. From their long tradition of anti-imperialist struggle, people posed a problem for the former BJP-led government, as also for the Congress. Unfortunately, it should be said that in spite of repeated call from the AIAIF or from the SUCI or in spite of people expressing their anti-imperialist bent, there was no serious effort to develop any sustained massive anti- imperialist movement, because of the lukewarm attitude of CPI(M) that go by the name of Communists and claim to enjoy mass following that has allegedly helped it to remain in the government of West Bengal for more than two decades. It even declined outright to lend support to a SUCI call of a symbolic boycott of American goods including Coca Cola and Pepsi, that received spontaneous support from people of all walks of life and from all over the country. In conclusion, Comrade Mukherjee submitted that people responded with warmth, and zeal and in large numbers to all our initiatives, all over the country. He assured the leadership of the International Action Center and people of America that from New York Tribunal back home he will carry the message of the struggle that IAC is developing against US imperialism and Bush in particular, of the fraternity of the people of the whole world, and of its support and encouragement to every genuine movement that the Indian people might be able to build up in India. People's verdict - guilty On 26 August evening, in the open session of the Tribunal, a 19-point indictment of Bush and other top officials in his administration and at the Pentagon, was read out at the opening of the tribunal with dramatic flair by three IAC activists. The indictment had been drawn up by Ramsey Clark himself. A number of speakers addressed the gathering . Manik Mukherjee, one of them, submitted "So long as imperialism exists, the possibility of war is there,". He added that even if the erstwhile socialist camp was gripped by the revisionist leadership in later years of its existence, its presence had some restraining effect on the imperialism. With collapse of the socialist camp, imperialism, led by US imperialism in particular, has come out more aggressively, transgressing nakedly upon freedom and sovereignty of smaller or weaker countries. In conclusion he called for coordination of different organizations that are striving to build up anti-imperialist movement in different parts of the world, as also for international coordination to develop a worldwide anti-imperialist movement. Slides were shown during Comrade Mukherjee's talk on various episodes and incidents of anti-imperialist movement in India under the leadership of the AIAIF. Sara Flounders of the International Action Center, who co-chaired the tribunal, explained that it aimed to continue and strengthen the resistance to war and occupation, both in the targeted countries and here in the United States. In his concluding address, Ramsey Clark, founder of the IAC, put the question to the audience: "The US government spends more on the military than all others on earth-all in the service of corporate wealth. It is a clear and present danger to the planet. This assault on Iraq is beyond question a war of aggression, which the Nuremberg trials said was the supreme crime. How do you vote?" After hearing and discussing the charges for six hours, the house had no doubt about the verdict: "Guilty! Guilty! Guilty!" they roared. A number of other speakers reported on the work of tribunals held around the world. Professor Akira Maeda of Japan described hearings in Manila, Philippines, on US bombings of civilians in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Joachim Guilliard told of plans in Germany to focus on German complicity in the Iraq war. Ayca Cubukcu, an organizer of the World Tribunal on Iraq held in New York this May, explained that the judging of the United States for war crimes will culminate in March 2005 with a final tribunal session in Istanbul, Turkey. A close-up view of the Iraqi struggle came from Hana al-Bayati, an Iraqi-French documentary film maker who worked on the Brussels, Belgium, Tribunal. Referring to fighting in Najaf, Falluja, Sadr City and other areas under US attack, she said, "We have to support the resistance," explaining that it is "a fight for the people to control their own resources." After describing how unity is being forged by many sectors of the Iraqi population-"leftists, Islamists and Baathists" - al-Bayati concluded that "whatever course they take is legitimate because they are occupied by a foreign power." Khadouri al-Kaysi, an Iraqi living in the United States, described the horrors of everyday life for his relatives in Basra. Ghazwan Al-Mukhtar, a retired Iraqi engineer, said that 100,000 Iraqis have passed through US detention centers like Abu Ghraib. In person and on videotape, the tribunal heard from resisters in the US military, past and present. Dustin Langley of Support Network for an Armed Forces Union said the movement must "shock and awe the war criminals in Washington," and explained why young men and women have an obligation to resist committing war crimes. Fernando Suarez, whose son Jesus was one of the first GIs to die in Iraq, said: "I'm here because Bush broke the law in Iraq. My son died of an American cluster bomb. Bush doesn't own this country. You have the power to stop this." In a filmed interview, Pvt. Brandon Hughey explained he was seeking asylum in Canada because "I can't go kill people in a war my government cannot justify." Gerry Condon, who spent time in Canada as a Vietnam War resister, said the Canadian Labor Council-equivalent of the AFL-CIO here-has taken a stand supporting US resisters today. Maria Rosa Pe�arroya and Javier Barandiaran, from the Spanish State, gave precise testimony representing dozens of interviews conducted in Baghdad hospitals with Iraqi civilian victims during the bombing attacks of March-April 2003. Jo Wilding, who drove an ambulance in Falluja for five days during a US siege of the city, told how US forces shut down the main hospital, cut off water and electricity, and fired on her ambulance, hitting a woman in premature labor.The deliberate destruction of Iraq's infrastructure was described by Denis Halliday, who resigned as head of the United Nations "Oil for Food" program. In a video interview, he called the sanctions against Iraq "genocide." Dennis Brutus, who fought South African apartheid, said: "We have the right to resist the occupation charade of transfer of authority to a puppet government created by the US This is not true sovereignty." Brutus called Washington "the principal agent of terrorism all over the world." Yoomi Jeong of the Korea Truth Commission explained how "what's happening in Iraq today happened in Korea 50 years ago." Ben Dupuy of Haiti's National Popular Party talked of his country's two- centuries-long resistance to French and US imperialism. Teresa Gutierrez of the New York Committee to Free the Cuban Five told how the Venezuelan people now chant, "Hold on Iraq, the world is rising." Lamis Deek of Al Awda described the resista nce of Palestinian prisoners now on hunger strike against US-backed Israeli repression.John Parker, West Coast IAC organizer of USA, questioned the imperialists' motives in Sudan. In 1998, he visited the pharmaceutical plant there that was destroyed by US missiles. A fiery speech AFSMCE District Council President Brenda Stokely invited the anti-war movement to be part of the massive workers' mobilization to take place on October 17 in Washington. Known as the Million Worker March, it will "offer a space for the voice of the people to identify the real enemy." Comrade Manik Mukherjee meets leaders, activists of Workers' World Party of America Comrade Manik Mukherjee during his stay at New York in connection with the Iraq War Crimes Tribunal against Bush and historic anti-war rallies met leaders and activists of the Workers' World Party of America in the Workers' World forum and had a heart-to-heart talk on different issues of anti-imperialist movement as also on developing closer, more intimate and stronger party-to-party relationship between WWP and SUCI. Here again Comrade Mukherjee reiterated the Leninist concept that possibility of war looms large, so long as imperialism exists. He also re-emphasized the importance of international coordination in developing worldwide anti-imperialist movement. In addition, he drew attention to the fact that until and unless anti-imperialist movements led by broad-based platform has a communist core, firm in ideology and well-knit in organization, to lead from within, movements for peace instead of developing into a militant peace movement will bear every possibility of turning into pacifist movement. It was thus necessary to form and develop such a core of communists also within the internationally coordinated broad-based anti-imperialist platforms. Comrade Mukherjee congratulated WWP and the IAC for the massive and significant programme they had organized. India Government's involvement in so-called elections in Iraq Blatant move to shield US aggressors Comrade Nihar Mukherjee, General Secretary, SUCI, in a statement issued on August 31, strongly reacted against the reported concurrence of the Government of India to getting involved in the holding of so-called "elections" in Iraq and Afghanistan, which is nothing but a simple eyewash to hide the naked aggression of the US imperialists and a subtle attempt to "legalize" the illegal occupation of these two sovereign countries by the US rulers. Comrade Mukherjee further said that after the US imperialists, in the face of stiff resistance from the Indian people, had failed to drag the Indian army into Iraq, this is a fresh attempt and a clever ploy on the part of the Indian Government to fall in line with the US rulers in the sinister move to foist puppet regimes on these countries and thereby appease and oblige the US imperialists. Comrade Mukherjee, therefore, demanded that the Government of India led by the Congress and supported by the CPI(M), CPI must desist from having heinous collaboration with the US imperialists, strictly adhere to the path of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries and that it must under no circumstances associate itself with the aforesaid move of the US rulers. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> $9.95 domain names from Yahoo!. Register anything. http://us.click.yahoo.com/J8kdrA/y20IAA/yQLSAA/VL0olB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Peruuta ryhm�n tilaus l�hett�m�ll� s�hk�postia osoitteeseen: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kominform2/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! 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