>From: "CPI(ML) LIberation" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >ML Update Vol:III; No.16; 26-4-2000 > >Editorial > >May Day 2000 : >Strengthen Solidarity, Sharpen Resistance > >May Day. For more than a century, the first of May has been observed the >world over as the day of international solidarity of the working class. >In spite of severe setbacks to socialism in recent years, neither has >history come to an end nor has capitalism grown crisis free. And far >from fading away, the historic legacy of May Day has continued to >inspire successive generations of workers of the world to unite and >fight against the dehumanizing offensive of global capitalism. >In fact, as monstrous MNCs and multilateral institutions like the IMF, >World Bank and World Trade Organization spread their tentacles over >every nook and corner of the world economy, and economic crisis assumes >global proportions, workers are discovering a new urge for unity, >coining increasingly common slogans against increasingly common targets. >The big bosses of big capital may choose to meet in Singapore or >Seattle, Delhi or Davos, Warsaw or Washington, but everywhere they are >being greeted with angry and loud protests against the trinity of >IMF-WB-WTO. >In India, the saffron brigade has stepped up the pace of implementation >of the package of economic reforms. To ensure a faster and smoother >journey to the coveted destination of liberalization, privatization and >globalization, the new regime is keen on increasing the flexibility of >the Indian labour market. Disinvestments and downsizing are the two most >favourite catchwords of the new regime. The previous UF governments had >already created a Disinvestment Commission, and the last Pay Commission >had prescribed a full course of downsizing. The NDA has appointed two >full-time ministers to promote this twin agenda. A Second Labor >Commission has been set up with the explicit agenda of suggesting >suitable revision of what are now being called antiquated and obsolete >labor laws. Apart from a tighter trade union act, waiting in the cue are >laws to facilitate industrial closure, retrenchment of workers and >promotion of contract labor. >Beyond the realm of labor laws, the government also proposes to effect >drastic amendments to criminal law procedures to make for the lapse of >TADA, the draconian piece of legislation which had been used >indiscriminately to book trade unionists as terrorists and >disruptionists. The latest exim policy has also intensified the legal >offensive against the working class by proposing that export units >situated in Special Economic Zones be treated as public utilities within >the purview of ESMA. And on top of it, there is this vicious ideological >campaign which constantly seeks to disorganize the working class and >disarm its movement. It is well known that the saffron zealots stand for >erasing the very legacy of May Day -- they are all for substitution of >this imported "foreign" habit by the swadeshi (Nationalist) traditon of >Vishwakarma Puja! (Warship of universal labor)! >In spite of the imperialist offensive and the saffron design, working >class movement in India however has begun to show some encouraging signs >of a long-awaited resurgence. The present year itself began on a rising >note with a strike wave of public sector workers warming up the winter. >If privatization has emerged as the biggest common threat to organized >sector workers, the working people and especially the toiling masses are >hit hard by growing unemployment and skyrocketing prices of essential >commodities and services. The organized trade union movement in India >has to broaden its base and augment its strength by forging an active >alliance with the growing resentment and resistance of the unemployed >and other deprived sections of toiling and suffering India. >Economism has always been a baneful influence in trade union struggles >-- it will prove absolutely fatal at the present juncture. A two-way >alliance between the trade union movement and the broader democratic >movement is the cry of the hour. Let us strengthen the class solidarity >of the Indian worker, let us sharpen the democratic resistance of the >Indian people. > >Six Parties Meet > >Six left Parties, viz, CPI(ML)-Red Flag, CPI(ML)- Unity Initiative, >CPI(ML) New Democracy, CPI(ML)Liberation, COI(ML), MCPI met on 18 April >at New Delhi and decided to support and participate the All -India >General Strike, develop an all India movement against Govt.'s proposed >move to enact new TADA in the name of Criminal Law Amendment Bill, >against which state level conventions will be held.. They also adopted a >12 point charter including various issues to build a thoroughgoing, >militant and broad-based movement of the people. > >Amendments to Bihar Reorganization Bill > >CPI(ML) legislators presented the following amendments to Bihar >Reorganization Bill presently being discussed in Bihar Legislative >Assembly: >(1) Under the Jharkhand state, tribal majority areas be proclaimed >autonomous areas and autonomous district councils be formed there. >(2) Of the present 81 Legislative Assembly constituencies falling in >Jharkhand state, 70% be declared reserved for Scheduled Tribes and >Scheduled Castes. >(3) Bihar should be accorded the status of extremely backward state and >90% grant and 10% loan be sanctioned to the state to ensure development >here. >Among other amendments, it was stressed that the word "Vananchal" >(proposed name of the state) be replaced by the word "Jharkhand" in >sub-section (1) of section 72 and also in section 75 of the same > >CPI(ML) Condemns Attack on Christians > >CPI (ML) strongly condemned the recent attacks on Christian missionaries >at Agra in U.P and Rewari in Haryana. Party observed that the recurrence >of such obnoxious incidents clearly indicates that criminals are >enjoying support and patronage of the governments of the concerned >states and their police administraion. Observing that RSS and its >affiliate organizations were involved in all these incidents, CPI(ML) >said that these desperate attempts to foment communal tension and >violence in U.P. with the backing of the govt and state bureaucracy, >along with the passage of Religious Places (Construction) Bill, have >completely revealed BJP's anti-minority character. > >Party Foundation Day Observed > >On 22 April, the 31st foundation day of CPI(ML) was celebrated all over >India adopting various forms. Various party committee initiated >"Strengthen the Party" campaign on this occasion. >In West Bengal, a large mass meeting was held at historic Shaheed Minar >in Calcutta. Two processions, one each from Howrah and Sealdah covered >different parts of the city before converging at Shaheed Minar. >Addressing the gathering Com. Dipankar Bhattacharya underlined the >importance of building a vigorous nationwide mass movement to protect >the interests of the country and assured the CPI(ML) was trying its best >to mobilise toiling and left-oriented people in this endeavour. He said >that the partners of Left Front as well as honest left cadres will have >to think of a diaaaafferent reallignment than Left Front so as to defeat >the mahajot (grand alliance). The meeting was also addressed by Com. >Kartik Pal, Partha Ghosh, Arijit Mitra, Meena Pal and Ajit Das. Com. >Kalyan Goswami presided over the meeting. >In Bihar, the Party foundation day was observed in almost all the >districts, including Rohtas, Buxar, Siwan, Kaimur, Darbhanga, >Muzaffarpur, Gopalganj, Nalanda, Gaya, Jahanabad, Aurangabad, Saharsa, >Supaul, Bhojpur Patna rural and also at the state headquarters in Patna. >To initiate the "Strengthen the Party" campaign, campaign call written >by Party General Secretary was read out and discussed. In Begusarai, the >statue of Comrade Vinod Mishra was inaugurated by Com. Swadesh >Bhattacharya, PB member. Also a seminar on the current political >situation was organised in which Com. Ramji Rai, editor of Lokyudh was >the main speaker. The Kavi Sammelan (poetry recital programme) that >followed was presided over by Madan Kashyap, vice president of Jan >Sanskriti Manch ( People�s Cultural Forum). >Earlier on 20 April a state-level cadre convention (including Jharkhand) >was held at Vidyapati Bhawan in Patna in which more than 600 block and >district level cadres participated. After a tribute was paid to the >martyrs including Com. Gurudas Chatterjee, the convention began with the >campaign call read out by State Secretary Com. Ram Jatan Sharma, and >then district secretaries came out with their views on concretizing the >campaign. The convention was also addressed by Comrades Dipankar >Bhattacharya and Swadesh Bhattacharya. The convention was presided over >by Com. Amar. >In Rajasthan, a mass meeting was organised at the Main Chowk, Jhunjhnu >to observe the Party foundation day. Comrades from Pilani and nearby >villages participated in it. Main speaker Com. Lal Bahadur Singh said >that powerful mass movements were in the offing and he called upon the >gathering to make 11 May general strike a success. Com Mahendra Singh, >Secretary of State organization and Phool Chand Dhewa, in charge of >district party organization also addressed the meet. Com. Ram Chandra >presided over the meeting and Com. Suresh conducted it. >In Delhi, Party flag was hoisted in a number of localities. In Shashi >Garden, around 150 supporters participated in the Party foundation day >ceremony. Party flag was also hoisted at Patparganj and Rohtas Nagar. In >Mandawali area, after flag hoisting a cadre meeting was held in which >around 25 cadres participated. Attending the function Com. BB Pandey >explained the significance of the "Strengthen the Party" campaign. Later >in the evening, a state-level cadre convention was held in South Delhi >where Com. BB Pandey was the main speaker. Com. Rajendra Pratholi, State >Secretary, presented an outline of the campaign in Delhi and a lively >debate followed. The convention ended with the strains of >Internationale. > >March to Parliament by Slum Dwellers > >A vigorous mass campaign has been undertaken by the CPI(ML)-led Delhi >Jhuggi-Jhopdi Samyukta Sangharsh Samiti among the slum-dwellers in >protest against Delhi government's drive to evict jhuggi-dwellers in the >name of beautification of the city. Thousands of leaflets have been >distributed and dozens of mass meetings held in order to make >preparations for Parliament March by jhuggi-dwellers on 25 April. The >jhuggi-dwellers demand that eviction without providing alternative >resettlement must be immediately stopped and proper civic amenities be >arranged for jhuggi colonies. > >Joint Delegation Met Andhra Governor on Price Rise > >A delegation of 9 left parties comprising N. Murthy of CPI(ML) >(Liberation), Y Radhakrishna Murthy, M.P. of CPI(M), BV Raghavulu, state >secretary of CPI(M), Aziz Pasha of CPI, V. Venkataramiah of CPI(ML)-TND, >G. Vijaya Kumar of CPI(ML) Unity Initiative, MV Prasad of >CPI(ML)-Janashakthi, AK Biswas of MCPI and K Sridhar of SUCI met the >Governor Dr. C Rangarajan and submitted a memorandum voicing concern >over the hike in the prices of fertilisers, diesel, cooking gas, PDS >rice and power tariff rates. The delegation urged the governor to use >his good offices with the government to protect the interests of the >common man. The memorandum described the steep price hike effected by >the central and state governments as a retrograde step. The centre was >urged to roll back the prices of cooking gas and kerosene oil in the >light of the reduction in the prices of petroleum products in the world >market. The memorandum also urged the state government to withdraw the >proposal for enhancement of electricity charges and introduction of >metres in agricultural sector. > >DTC Workers Demo > >Delhi Transport Corporation workers led by DTC Workers Unity Centre >staged a demonstration in front of Delhi Legislative Assembly on 23 >April to lodge protest against economic policies of centre and state >governments, leading to threat of privatisation of transport system >resulting in 30,000 employees losing their jobs. Demonstrators >criticised government's failure in introducing new buses in place of >1842 DTC buses withdrawn following the Supreme Court verdict. The >demonstration was led by Com. Kumudini Pati, Central Committee member, >Com. Rajendra Pratholi, State Committee secretary, Com. Ranjan Ganguli, >national Secretary of AICCTU, N. Thomas, president, Santosh Rai, acting >president and Shankaran, General Secretary of DTCWUC and Ajaib Singh. >The memorandum submitted to Chief Minister demanded immediate >arrangement of new buses and stop on privatization. > >ASDC-KSA Team Attends Mass Funeral of Victims of KNV-KPF Violence in >Karbi Anglong > >The joint standing committee of ASDC, KSA and Dimasa Students' Union in >its meeting on 21 April expressed deep condolence on the death of 24 >persons at the hands of extremists in Karbi Anglong. It is to be noted >that the inhuman and barbaric cold-blooded murder of 11 persons at >Langetso, 2 ASDC supporters at Langsoliet and again 11 persons at >Umlaper are all part of a sinister design planned by the Cong(I) and >KNV-KPF are acting only as an armed wing of the Cong(I). It is nothing >but new edition of KAASDOCOM/KANCHASDCOM which the Cong(I) floated years >back to counter the mass democratic movement for autonomous state. Very >recently, on 22 April itself, KNV extremists again killed 5 persons at >Akhoi Phuta village of Bokajan PS in Karbi Anglong. >Com. Holiram Terang, member of CC, CPI(ML) and General Secretary of >ASDC, Com. Jotson bey, CEM of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council, ASDC >propaganda secretary Com. Daniel Teron, KSA propaganda secretary Com. >Samual Ronghang and local MAC Com. Sarim Bey led the team that went to >Umlaper on 22 April to attend the mass funeral of 11 persons killed by >the extremists. The team met the people, visited the spot of massacre >and distributed some relief materials to the affected people. >In the name of curbing terrorism the army and CRPF are harassing and >torturing innocent people. The army without taking the civil >administration or the Council authority into confidence are directly >interfering in Council administration in NC Hills like checking budget >estimates, official files and other documents. The army even forced an >MAC and Chairman of Haflong Town Committee to leave their vehicles on >the way while on official tour. The CRPF stationed at Thaijuwari raped 2 >Karbi women on 4 April and a group of army men molested women at Mupa >Nalding village on 10 April. >These incidents prove that not only Assam govt. has failed to protect >the lives of people at the hands of extremists, paramilitary and army >too derive pleasure in harassing and oppressing innocent people. So >CPI(ML), ASDC and KSA have demanded that for their self-protection >people need guns and if govt. does not provide them free than at least >license should be given and arms shall be purchased from the fund of >Autonomous Council. Party, ASDC, KSA and DSU have decided to form >village defence committee (VDC) and strengthen People's Guard (PG). They >demanded that Govt. should give free arms and training to VDCs as in >Jammu and Kashmir. The eventual way is to give law and order authority >to Councils. The demand for Autonomous State is for this very reason. >Also compensation and relief be provided to the dependents of persons >killed. Protesting against the killing Party and ASDC, KSA, DSU have >called 24 hours Karbi Anglong and NC Hills bandh on 26 April and >appealed to the people to actively cooperate in making the bandh a grand >success. > >Tamil Nadu Round Up > >Central government employees Maha Sammelan that observed anti- >downsizing day on 19th April held a meeting on 17th April. Com. S. >Kumarasamy, CCM, and AICCTU State President, addressed the gathering and >he called upon the workers to rally against the anti-worker policies of >the NDA government which has come out clearly about downsizing the >central government in terms not only of already existing ban on >recruitment but also proposed retrenchments. >Com.N.K. Natarajan, SCM was arrested on the eve of RSS rally which was >held in Coimbator when our party in Coimbatore protested the biased >approach of the state police which as a rule does not permit rallies, >particularly Muslim organizations, as Coimbatore seems to be communally >sensitive, but allowed RSS to hold the rally. As for Karunanidhi, whose >government has imposed ban on all Muslim outfits in the state, RSS is >not a communal organization. Five other comrades were also arrested in >this connection. >The arrest was protested in many places in the state. Demonstrations >were held in Salem and Kumarapalyam demanding release of the arrested >comrades. A poster campaign was conducted on the same demand in Chennai >and Salem, Erode and Namakkal. > >Inaugural Address by Castro at April G-77 Summit at Havana > >��..Globalization has been held tight by the patterns of neoliberalism; >thus, it is not development that goes global but poverty; it is not >respect for the national sovereignty of our states but the violation of >that respect; it is not solidarity amongst our peoples but >��sauve-qui-peut�� in the unequal competition prevailing in the >marketplace. >Two decades of so-called neoliberal structural adjustment have left >behind economic failure and social disaster. It is the duty of >responsible politicians to face up to this predicament by taking the >indispensable decisions conducive to the Third World rescue from a blind >alley. >Economic failure is evident. Under the neoliberal policies, the world >economy experienced a global growth between 1975 and 1998 which hardly >amounted to half of that attained between 1945 and 1975 with Keynesian >market deregulation policies and the states� active participation in the >economy.� > >��..The International Monetary Fund is the emblematic organization of >the existing monetary system and the United States enjoys veto power >over its decisions. As far as the latest financial crisis is concerned, >the IMF showed a lack of foresight and a clumsy handling of the >situation. It imposed its conditioning clauses that paralyzed the >governments social development policies thus creating serious domestic >hazards and preventing access to the necessary resources when they were >most needed. >It is high time for the Third World to strongly demand the removal of an >institution that neither provides stability to the world economy nor >works to deliver preventive funds to the debtors to avoid their >liquidity crises; it rather protects and rescues the creditors. >Where is the rationale and the ethic of an international monetary order >which allows a few technocrats, whose positions depend on the American >support, to design in Washington identical economic adjustment programs >for implementation in a wide variety of countries to cope with specific >Third World problems? >Who takes responsibility when the adjustment programs bring about social >chaos, thus paralyzing and destabilizing nations with large human and >natural resources, as was the case in Indonesia and Ecuador? >It is of crucial importance for the Third World to work for the removal >of that sinister institution, and the philosophy it sustains, to replace >it with an international finances regulating body that would operate on >democratic bases and where no one has a veto right. An institution that >would not defend only the wealthy creditors and impose interfering >conditions, but would allow the regulation of financial markets to >arrest unrestrained speculation�..� > >AISA-RYA Calls >Parallel Student-Youth Parliament >at VP House Lawns, Rafi Marg, Delhi >on 28 April at 12 noon >against >Rising unemployment, >Price Rise >Saffronisation of education >Cultural terrorism >To be addressed by >Dipankar Bhattacharya >General Secretary, CPI(ML) >Veteran Communist J.S. Layallpuri, Praful Bidwai, Anil Sadgopal & others > >Readers Please Note : >Publication of the Hindi weekly Maley Samachar has been stopped as >Samkaleen Lokyudh will start its publication on 19 April, 2000 itself. >As informed to you earlier, Lokyudh, a 16-page weekly, will be priced at >Rs. 3 per copy and its annual subscription will be Rs.120. English ML >Update will continue as usual. Those who were getting Maley Samachar, if >they so desire, may opt for MLUpdate. Or else, they may get the >remainder of their contribution transferred to Lokyudh account. Write >to us at the earliest regarding your option. You are also requested to >closely look at the last line of the address printed on the address >slip, which contains the end date i.e., the date when your contribution >is going to end. Accordingly please send the contribution to renew your >readership. > __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi ___________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe/unsubscribe messages mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________
