>Yours in solidarity >Per Rasmussen > > >-----Oprindelig meddelelse----- >Fra: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] >Sendt: 8. oktober 2000 21:28 >Til: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Emne: What We Think > >Joints Statement of the Carlos Balin~o Institute > >The Imperialist Overthrow of Milosevic > >The Carlos Balin~o institute is proud of the fact that we have dedicated >many of our email publications to conducting a strong defense of the >Serbian people against the savage bombing of NATO and the US. We shared >the outrage (if not the terror) of the Serbian people every single day >that bombs rained on their territory, particularly on civilian sectors of >the country. We are equally proud that our position on Yugoslavia was >adopted independent of the equally strong position subsequently taken by >the Cuban government before the entire world, against this act of >imperialist genocide. > >This time, however, CBI does not share the victorious rejoicing of the >Serbian opposition (and its NATO coconspirators) over the overthrow of >Slobodan Milosevic. > >This is not to say that CBI politically and ideologically supported the >Serbian leader. While we supported his anti-imperialist defiance of NATO >and the US, we equally repudiated the national and ethnic chauvinism >inspired and instigated by the Western capitalist powers of Germany, >France, England and the US. Milosevic himself was equally included in >this repudiation alongside the criminal Croat, Bosnian and Albanian >leaders of the region. CBI has also condemned in its previous >publications the massacres committed by all ethnic sides in the Balkans, >including the Serbs. > >Another reason for our refusal to personally support Milosevic is that he >had once been considered as a useful ally of Western powers in the region >and the person that they could rely on to enforce the Dayton Accords. It >was not until the imperialists decided that Serbia itself had to be >shattered, that Milosevic became the subject of imperialist vilification >campaign analogous to the treatment of former US allies Saddam Husseim >and General Noriega. Whatever treacherous and opportunist role he played, >CBI can only be said to have completely supported Milosevic's POLICY to >oppose imperialism and defend the territorial integrity and sovereignty >of Serbia and preserve the federation. We adopted this position only >because it represented the vital interests of the all the ethnic working >classes of the region. Our position stands in sharp contrast to the >position of American Liberals and radicals who unconditionally supported >the genocidal bombardment of Serbia, legitimizing the pretext provided by >the imperialists. > >At the same time, we do not rejoice over the downfall of the Milosevic >government for the following reasons. The rebellion that deposed >Milosevic bears all the trademarks of the work of the very same powers >that little over a year ago, systematically and brutally bombed the >Serbian people. Moreover, the US and the European Union contributed over >$100 million to finance the election of the Democratic Opposition of >Serbia (DOS). The objective of these powers then and now remains the >elimination of all obstacles to their complete domination of the Balkans >and an eventual imperialist advance into the contiguous oil-rich >territories which were once part of the Soviet Union. > >In keeping with their objectives, the imperialist's mass media wasted no >time to distort the events. Current and former government officials, >pundits and generals were paraded across television cameras comparing the >events in Yugoslavia to the fall of the Berlin Wall and communism in >general. Milosevic was described as a dictator, accused of creating a >reign of terror in Serbia and directly blamed for the destruction of the >Serbian economy and infrastructure. > >This claims are utterly ridiculous and should be evident to anyone with a >critical mind who has been exposed to the contradictions presented by the >very same media sources. The fall of Milosevic does not mean the fall of >communism any more than the fall of an imperialist puppet would mean the >fall of capitalism. Yugoslav society had long ceased to be socialist and >could best be described as a deformed capitalist welfare state in its >death agony. The claim that Milosevic created a "state of terror" in >Serbia is contradicted by the fact that he has chosen to remain in Serbia >as leader of his own party. The opposition freely operated within the >country in complicity with the foreign enemies of the country and they >were not jailed or imprisoned. Neither the police nor the army were >ordered to quell the demonstrations and the coup was virtually bloodless. >The mere fact that an election was held with the full participation of >the opposition does not square with the claim that a "dictatorship" was >"terrorizing" the population. > >The real terror in Serbia was the genocidal bombing of the US and NATO, >their subsequent occupation of Serbian territory, their support of the >KLA terrorists and the mass expulsion of Serbs from Kosovo. The real >cause of the deterioration of the Serb economy is the sanctions imposed >by the imperialist powers and their military destruction of the nation's >infrastructure... > >The future that awaits the Serbian people is hardly heartening. The DOS >has committed Serbia to an economic program shaped by the US and Europe >based on pro-market, shock therapy measures which have driven the working >classes of Eastern Europe into the same poverty and social barbarism that >prevails in Third World countries. The so-called democratic revolutions, >as the Serbian events are being described, have eventually succumbed to >the dictates of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. In >these "new democracies", millions have been made destitute by "structural >economic reforms" while a few have amassed unprecedented wealth through >the sellout of state enterprises and other privatization schemes. In >Russia, for example, economic output has fallen by 60% since the end of >the USSR and millions are plagued by chronic unemployment. Due to the >increase in disease, malnutrition and a host of social calamities, the >Russian population is expected to decline by 33% within 50 years. East >Germany, now part of a wealthy nation, is plagued by low wages, >unemployment and lack of social services. > >The new government of Kostunica and the DOS can not be expected to bring >prosperity to Serbia nor lasting peace in the Balkans. Their political >program unequivocally calls for the inclusion of Yugoslavia in the IMF >and World Bank and the implementation of the same Draconian economic >measures which accompany membership. Typically, a market economy will be >imposed, foreign banks and investors will control the economy, state >industry will be privatized, import-export quotas will be eliminated. The >currency will be highly devalued; price controls and subsidies will be >ended; public services and expenditures will be severely reduced. > >Milosevic's departure from the political scene will not necessarily mean >the end of conflict in the Balkans. Indeed, with Milosevic's removal, the >rivalry among the imperialist powers for markets, raw materials and cheap >labor in the region will intensify, resulting in continued nationalist >tensions. > >October 8, 2000 > > >To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > _______________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi _______________________________________________________ Kominform list for general information. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Anti-Imperialism list for anti-imperialist news. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________________
