From: New Worker Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [New-Worker-News] New Worker Online Digest - 28/9/2001
New Worker Online Digest
Week commencing 28th September, 2001.
1) Editorial - Taking powers.
2) Lead story - Growing resistance to US war.
3) Feature article - Danger of new terror laws.
4) International story - IRA wants "durable settlement".
5) British news item - No to war -- rallies around Britain.
1) Editorial
Taking powers.
THE tragedy of 11 September would have caused any government to take
immediate steps to increase security at home and to intensify efforts to
arrest and confound those responsible. We would expect a flurry of
diplomatic activity, an increase in intelligence gathering, emergency
measures at airports, extra protection of other possible targets and at
embassies around the world.
But the United States is not any government -- it is one led by the most
reactionary and hawkish elements of the American capitalist class. It has
chosen a much higher gear and decided to launch the "first war of the 21st
century". It has sought, not just international cooperation to bring the
perpetrators of the attacks on New York and Washington tojustice, but a
coalition of military might sufficient to wage a protracted, full-scale war.
The Bush government is now reaching out to take the power US imperialism
has long been seeking -- and intensively seeking since it declared "the new
world order" -- the power of US global hegemony and
control.
Now, in the name of grief and justice, Bush thinks he can just issue
orders to governments around the world. Co-operate or else, he tells the
government of Pakistan. All major banks must root out terrorist funds or
risk losing business with the US. People are either with the US or against
it, he declares.
The grand coalition and its war machine is being put together without any
discussion at the United Nations. Not even Nato's opinion has been sought.
In Britain the House of Commons has only been recalled because of pressure
from some MPs.
As usual when matters of life and death, peace and war come to the fore,
no one asks us, or any other citizen in the capitalist world for a point of
view -- our job is just to pick up the tab and suffer the consequences.
What's more, even though our warships were heading for the Gulf before
Parliament had met, we were still told the war would be fought to defend
"democracy".
And now there is growing concern that the US could be planning to settle
what it regards as other unfinished business while its war machine is still
hot and running.
Washington has long had a list of so-called "rogue states" it would like
to subdue. The names on the list seem to vary from time to time, but they
are those which resist adopting the required subservient posture to US
imperialism.
The most likely country to be attacked once again is Iraq. Whether or not
this happens will depend on the military possibilities or drawbacks.
Certainly the pretext for war would be easily found by simply asserting
that US intelligence has discovered a link between Iraq and Osama bin
Laden's organisation. Under the guise of classified information the US can
of course say whatever it likes about anyone or any state. After all the US
has a long history of framing its intended targets.
It is clear though that Afghanistan is the prime target as Washington
believes it is harbouring bin Laden and it believes that he is the leader
of the organisation that carried out the attack on the United States.
The advocates of war pin a great deal on the argument that it was utterly
wrong for the attackers of the World Trade Centre to kill ordinary American
workers such as firefighters, cleaners, typists and so on as a reprisal for
the actions of successive US governments. Yet they do not accept that it
would be just as wrong to send a huge military force against a country
because of the actions of one group within it.
Already innocent people are suffering as a direct result of the threat of
war. Refugees, including large numbers of women and children, are flocking
to the borders of Afghanistan in the hope of finding safety, shelter, food
and warmth. Many are heading for Pakistan, a country that has many problems
of its own.
Blair talks of making air-drops of aid to the refugees. What is this -- a
parachute load of bread today and a cruise missile tomorrow? Surely the
primary need is for peace!
*********************
2) Lead story
Growing resistance to US war.
by our Arab afffairs corresponent
US IMPERIALISM outlined its war plans to Nato defence chiefs in Belgium
this week as the build-up of British and American military might continues
in the Persian Gulf. But any hopes that Iran would join the anti-Afghhan
crusade have been dashed by a bitter rejection from the Islamic Republic's
Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Nato defence ministers, meeting at the Atlantic Alliance HQ in Brussels,
were briefed on imperialism's war plans on Wednesday by US Deputy Defence
Minister Paul Wolfowitz. The meeting, which included a Russian observer,
predictably re-affirmed its support for the American military and
diplomatic offensive even though some of them will not have been told of
the full White House agenda.
Anglo-American build-up
Back in the States Defense Secretary Donald H Rumsfeld talked about a
campaign which would last "not five minutes or five months" but years while
the Pentagon called up thousands more reservists. Two US aircraft carriers
are already in the Gulf. Two more are on their way. Each ship carries about
5,000 sailors and 75 warplanes and each one is covered by about a dozen
warships including submarines capable offiring Cruise missiles. American
troops in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf have been mobilised and the B-52 bomber
base on the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia has been put on alert.
The Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious has joined some 20 Royal
Navy warships taking part in joint exercises with Oman. The RAF and 24,000
British troops are already in the region and more are expected to join them.
Iranian rebuff
But while the military buildup continues relentlessly the diplomatic
offensive has faltered. Bush dropped the offensive to Muslims word
"crusade" after his spin doctors realised who actually won them. And the
original name for the operation "Infinite Justice" was also dumped
following further Islamic objections that this epitaph was only suitable
for God.
Russia predictably caved in to imperialist pressure and agreed to allow
American access to Russian bases in the Central Asian republics. Two of the
three states which recognised the Taleban adminstration, Saudi Arabia and
the United Arab Emirates, broke off diplomatic relations.
The third, Pakistan, has withdrawn its diplomats from Kabul. And Foreign
Minister Jack Straw's charm offensive in the Middle East appeared to be
working when he received a cordial welcome in Iran, the first visit by a
senior British member of the government since the 1979 revolution.
Straw told the Iranians that he was not carrying any message from the
United States and that his only purpose was to deepen "positive
understanding" between London and Tehran. Straw made some sympathetic
references to the Palestinians, which angered the Israelis -- the next stop
in his tour, but he gave the game away when he revealed that another reason
for his visit was because "Iran is an important source of advice on
Afghanistan".
Some suspect that his real motive was to tout support for the ex-king of
Afghanistan, who has lived for the past 30 years in obscurity in Rome. Now
the old man, well into his eighties, is being rolled out in the West as the
possible replacement for the Taleban regime.
Now Mohammed Zahir Shah is barely remembered in his homeland -- let alone
wanted, but he does have one advantage for the West. He comes from
Afghanistan's Pashtoon community -- the tribes which the Taleban also draws
its support. And the weakness of the opposition United Front -- the old
Northern Alliance which hold some ten per cent of the country -- is that
its leaders are all drawn from the Tajik and Uzbek minonties.
If that was Straw's hope it got short shrift in Tehran. This was spelt out
by the editor of Iran News who said the king's return would be "regression"
and "not tolerable".
US -- arrogant bully
But worse was to come. After Straw left for Tel Aviv Iran's Supreme Leader
Ayattollah Khamenei used the opportunity of addressing a rally of families
of Iranians killed in the war with Iraq to launch one ofthe strongest
attacks on the United States heard in Tehran in recent years.
Ayattollah Khomenei denounced the United States for its "arrogance" and
"bullying" in using the crisis over terrorism to serve its own interests.
"America does not have the competence to guide a global movement against
terrorism, and the Islamic Republic of Iran will not participate in any
move which is headed by the United States".
Iran's highest religious authority, who under the Islamic constitution has
the final say on all policy matters, then looked at Bush's appeal. "How
dare you ask for our assistance when you have been dealing blow after blow
against Iran for the past 23 years?" he declared. Many in the crowd shouted
"Death to America!" as he spoke. Bush says you are either with the United
States or with the terrorists. Well Khamenei said "Iran is neither with you
or the terrorists".
Taleban mobilises
In Afghanistan the Taleban militia is preparing for war. Some 300,000
fighters have been mobilised, many deployed along the frontier with
Pakistan. The United Front has made some gains in the north though they
have so far failed to capture their immediate objective ofthe key city of
Mazar-e-Sharif.
Taleban militiamen downed a pilotless US spy-plane over the week --
apparently using scatter-guns while their chiefs gave interviews to tell
the press of the bloody welcome the Western forces would get should they
set foot on Afghan soil.
In Kabul thousands of Taleban supporters took to the streets in the first
anti-American demonstration they have ever endorsed. The empty US embassy
was torched by the Islamic students.
Peace movement grows
Across the world the campaign to stop the Afghan war is growing. This war
must and can be stopped.
*************************
3) Feature article
Danger of new terror laws.
by Caroline Colebrook
HUMAN rights in Britain are under threat as the Government prepares new
anti-terrorist legislation in the wake of the attacks on New York and
Washington a fortnight ago.
Top of the list of measures likely to be introduced is compulsory identity
cards even though no one in Government has been able to explain how they
could have prevented the American tragedies.
Those who carried out the attacks and are now dead did have full sets of
identity papers -- false ones. Any serious criminal would have little
problem in obtaining false papers or forging them.
But when questioned closely, Government representatives shift their ground
and start talking about benefit fraud. So the threat of terrorism is to be
used as an excuse for a clamp down on small time benefit Fraud.
But a system of plastic ID cards is already being introduced for benefit
claimants.
Compulsory identity cards will simply criminalise forgetfulness. Anyone
who pops out to the shops, forgetting they have left their card in their
other jacket, handbag or jeans pocket will technically be a criminal,
liable to arrest and to be held until they can prove who they are.
Thousands of cards will end up accidentally in the wash, at the dry
cleaners, down the backs of sofas or being chewed by dogs. There will have
to be a procedure for replacing lost or damaged cards. And in this there
will be plenty of scope for corruption and fraud. A whole new criminal
industry will be born.
Police and other authorities cannot practically ask everyone to show their
identity cards on a regular basis. They will select a random few. And they
will select those they believe look most likely to be criminals.
It does not take much imagination to realise that ID cards will be yet
another means for police and other bodies that are institutionally racist
to further harass and discriminate against anyone who looks different.
Ethnic minorities will be prime targets.
Research in countries where ID cards are compulsory has shown that police
demand their production disproportionately from ethnic minorities.
Home Secretary David Blunkett has suggested that the Human Rights Act,
passed only a year ago, may have to be amended to allow the new anti-terror
legislation to be passed.
He said the European Convention of Human Rights -- incorporated into
British law by the Human Rights Act -- has proved "difficult to deal with
in the current circumstances".
Parliamentary sources have suggested there could be up to three separate
anti-terrorist Bills put before the next Parliament.
These are likely to abolish some rights of appeal for immigrants and
asylum-seekers turned back at airports and new police powers to arrest
those suspected of knowledge about terrorism.
The Home Office is also considering allowing transcripts of telephone
conversations obtained by bugging by the intelligence services to be
allowed as evidence in court.
The civil rights pressure group Liberty has said it will "strongly oppose"
any dilution of the Human Rights Act.
Director Mark Littlewood said: "There is a real danger that, as part of
the overall war on terrorism, the Government is lifting off the shelf a
whole range of proposals that would do nothing to stop terrorism and will
undermine civil rights in Britain.
*************************
4) International story
IRA wants "durable settlement".
by Steve Lawton
AMID growing international tension and the failure still of the British
Government to defuse growing anti-nationalist and anti-Catholic attacks in
the north ofIreland, the IRA is responding with a measured engagement in
the weapons hand-over process decommissioning -- and remains on ceasefire.
The northern Ireland Secretary Dr John Reid, rather than recognising the
dangers of pursuing key Good Friday Agreement provisions that have been
gutted at the behest of unionism, is exerting pressure on the IRA to make
what he called last weekend an "earth-shattering step" by actually putting
IRA weapons beyond use.
Ultimately, the weapons at stake are subject to political, not military
decisions in this process. The silent guns and verifled arms cache of the
IRA has turned out never to be enough for unionists.
The unionist interpretation of decommissioning, and that of certain forces
in the British Government, is not in itself simply to disarm the IRA
militarily, but to disarm republican aims, demands and organisation.
It is to disarm the legitimacy of the republican struggle among increasing
numbers of nationalists and Catholics, among rising generations, who agree
with them and join with them.
And it is to shape a future, unless unionist destabilising manoeuvres are
blocked, that prevents any real north-south integration or that leads to
Britain relinquishing its hold on the north. As the contrived inertia
festers, these fears will grow.
The necessary policing changes arrived at by the Patten Commission must,
among other grievances, be resurrected. A policing service that ends up
disguising its pro-unionist paramilitarism and retaining British
intelligence dirty-tricks, is a force that will end up jeopardising the
whole process ofchange in the north.
It is this lack of resoluteness against unionism and loyalism by the
British Government that is providing the vacuum for loyalist hatred that
currently vents itself on defenceless schoolgirls in north Belfast.
Traumas, injuries and deaths -- including a bomb incident and gun fire
during the wretched loyalist blockade of the Holy Cross Primary school in
the Ardoyne Rd, north Belfast -- will grow in this atmosphere.
This is made worse by the prevarication of the British Government with
unionist tactics of excluding Sinn Fein from political office, or by
unionisms' own threats and acts of withdrawal.
The British Government, having temporarily suspended the Assembly for a
third time to pressurise Sinn Fein and the IRA, is abusing the institution
to the point where its devolved basis will end up losing legitimacy.
Prime Minister Tony Blair's rush to act the global ambassador-warrior of
the United States' President George Bush, sharply contrasts with the
distinct lack of concern that continues to be shown for lives at risk in
the north of Ireland.
Over the decades British occupation has led to the deaths of thousands and
with the Good Friday Agreement, a moment arrived to end that and to begin
to restructure the way the whole of the island has been living a divided
existence.
The election of President George Bush gave anti-Agreement forces, here and
within unionism, an opportunity to begin undermining Sinn Fein's powerful
recognition in the United States.
The allegations of indirect arms links to the Colombian liberation
struggle and now the attack on the World Trade Centre, are being used in a
dangerously sinister way to rekindle an image of Sinn Fein and the IRA as
though they are at war. Unionism has acted all along in a manner -- abetted
by the British Government -- designed to test the IRA's limits.
Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams was uncompromising last week, describing
the latest suspension as "disgraceful" and accused unionists and the
British Government of "hypocrisy and cynicism".
"If those who are against the Good Friday Agreement think they are going
to break the will of Irish republicanism, then they are mistaken." At this
weekend's ardfheis, Sinn Fein will no doubt delibarate on the crisis
Britain and the unionists have created.
Text of IRA statement, 20 September 2001
FIRST of all we wish to extend our sympathy to the people of the United
States and especially to the families and friends of the victims of the
deplorable attacks in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.
On August 8 we confirmed that the IRA leadership had agreed a scheme with
the IICD (the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning) to
put IRA arms completely and verifiably beyond use.
This unprecedented IRA initiative was the result of lengthy discussions
with the IICD over a long period. It was another expression of our
willingness to enhance the peace process and it involved considerable
problems for us and for our organisation.
The IRA leadership's ability to speedily and substantially progress the
decision was completely undermined by the setting of further preconditions
and the outright rejection of the IICD statement by the Ulster Unionist
Party leadership.
Subsequent actions by the British government including a continued failure
to fulfil its commitments, remove the conditions necessary for progress. On
August 14 we withdrew our proposal.
However, as an earnest of our willingness to resolve the issue of arms,
the IRA leadership wish to confirm that our representative will intensify
the engagement with the IICD.
This dialogue is withih the context of our commitment to deal
satisfactorily with the question of arms. It is with a view to accelerating
progress towards the comprehensive resolution of this issue.
Progress will be directly influenced by the attitude of other parties to
the peace process, including and especially, the British government. The
IRA's commitment is without question.
However, as we have said before, peace making and peace keeping is a
collective effort. It is our considered view that the Irish peace process
can succeed.
The continued failure or refusal to sustain the political process and to
deliver real and meaningful change has a direct bearing on how this will be
accomplished.
The IRA has contributed consistently and in a meaningful way to the
creation of a climate which would facilitate the search for a durable
settlement.
We will continue to do so, including through our engagement with the IICD,
particularly at this difficult time, and in the period immediately ahead.
We also wish to state our attitude to the arrests of three Irishmen in
Colombia. There has been a lot of ill-founded and mischievous speculation
about these arrests and some ill-considered and aggressive comment directed
at our organisation.
We wish to make it clear that ihe Army Council sent no one to Colombia to
train or to engage in any military cooperation with any group.
The IRA has not interfered in the internal affairs of Colombia and will
not so do. The IRA is not a threat to the peace process in Ireland or in
Colombia. The three men have asserted their support for the process and we
accept that.
Signed P O'Neill.
*********************
5) British news item
No to war -- rallies around Britain.
by Daphne Liddle
THOUSANDS of peace supporters last week attended rallies throughout Britain
to call on the United States government not to retaliate against the
attacks on New York and Washington by waging a war against Afghanistan --
or anywhere else -- that could only result in thousands more innocent
people killed.
They were also demanding that Tony Blair should not lend the unconditional
support of the British government to whatever George Bush may decide to do.
Rallies took place in Glasgow, London, Nottingham, Manchester, Leeds,
Bradford, Oxford, Cambridge, Colchester and many other places. US air bases
in Britain, such as Lakenheath in Suffolk also drew dignified protests that
paid respect to the American bereaved while calling for peace.
London
Whitehall was packed with peace protesters who came to support a picket
opposite Wowning Street, organised by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.
Those who attended included NCP members, progressives, and many others,
including hundreds of individuals belonging to no particular group.
Many had dressed in black and were holding white flowers or placards
which said: "Stand shoulder to shoulder for peace and justice: No more
violence".
They kept a silent vigil and handed out leaflets to passersby. At 3.30pm a
delegation headed by former MP Tony Benn and veteran peace campaigner Bruce
Kent handed in a petition to Number Ten, Downing Street.
Tony Blair was at Chequers at the time but received the petition later.
Newly elected CND leader Carol Naughton read a letter from the parents of
a young man who was a victim of the World Trade Centre bombing.
"Not in our son's name," it said.
Bruce Kent called on George Bush to recognise the United Nations
International Criminal Court and to prosecute the surviving terrorists
through international law.
He said it sometimes takes a long time to bring someone to trial but "it
is better to take time and not to kill innocent people on the way through".
"If the Pakistan government collapses in a popular insurrection," he
added, "as a result of what Bush and Blair are planning, what happens?
"We have a Taliban influenced nuclear power. People just aren't thinking."
Colchester
A meeting last Thursday in Colchester formed a Stop the War committee,
which includes CND, the New Communist Party and others.
Those present agreed to start a campaign in Colchester and to organise a
vigil if violence starts; to have a meeting on Friday 5 October against he
US drive to war and against the loss of innocent life in the US and
elsewhere.
It was agreed that US policy was at the heart of the matter
Nottingham
Around 300 people gathered in Nottingham Market Square last Saturday for a
silent vigil for peace for over two hours.
The demonstration was organised by Nottingham Coalition Against War and
signatures were collected on a CND petition.
After the silence, the Clarion Choir led singing. Demonstrators held
candles.
Lakenheath
British and American peace protesters stood shoulder to shoulder outside
the US Air Force base to oppose military action in response to the attacks
in a protest organised by CND.
Lakenheath is the biggest US base in Europe.
Glasgow
More than 1,000 peace protesters gathered in George Square to demand
"Justice, not vengeance" at a rally organised by Scottish CND. They began
the rally with a minute's silence for the victims of the attacks in the US.
Leeds
Nearly 200 people gathered in Leeds for a major rally which is to be
followed by a mass public meeting on Friday.
Other Yorkshire rallies wee held in Bradford, Todmorden, Hebden Bridge
and Halifax.
Oxford
Around 800 demonstrators assembled in Oxford to remember the victims of
the attacks on New York and Washington and to oppose a military response.
Many carried candles.
They visited a number of special community sites, including Bath Street
Mosque and Christ Church Cathedral and a local synagogue.
A public meeting is scheduled for Thursday.
Cambridge
A rally of around 50 people held a four-hour vigil in fhe market place to
express sympathy for all victims of terror. Leaflets were distributed and
petition signatures were collected.
And there were many other rallies in other parts of Britain, showing a
mounting wave of opposition to a new US war.
Most of these rallies and demonstrations were organised by local broad
based peace committees that had come together to oppose the US-British war
on Iraq or the war against Yugoslavia. As western imperialism becomes more
bellicose, so the response from peace protesters grows and becomes better
organised.
*********************
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