Peace moves gather pace The following article was published in "The Guardian", newspaper of the Communist Party of Australia in its issue of Wednesday, May 12th, 1999. Contact address: 65 Campbell Street, Surry Hills. Sydney. 2010 Australia. Phone: (612) 9212 6855 Fax: (612) 9281 5795. Email: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Webpage: http://www.peg.apc.org/~guardian Subscription rates on request. ****************************** World-wide condemnation of NATO's war against Yugoslavia has intensified with the latest atrocities against civilians and the direct and deliberate three-missile destruction of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade. The bombing of the Chinese Embassy was not a military mistake or a bombing based on false CIA information. It was specifically targeted and destroyed as a deliberate act of aggression against China and once again reveals the far-reaching objectives which are behind the war against Yugoslavia. NATO apologists suggesting that the intelligence information was out of date forget what most people know, that diplomatic missions are not built close to military installations. Furthermore, the location of the Chinese Embassy is clearly marked on maps of Belgrade available from any news stand in the city or travel agent. As news of the latest civilian killings and destruction reached Australia, members of Australians for Peace laid a wreath at the entrance to the Chinese Consulate in Sydney and expressed sorrow and sincere sympathy to the families of the innocent Chinese diplomatic workers who had been wounded and killed by NATO bombing. Mr McGirr, on behalf of the Australians for Peace said that "Australia is not nor has it ever been a member of NATO. Australia should not be endorsing NATO but instead, as a member of the United Nations, Australia should be calling for a stop to the NATO created war in Yugoslavia". Desperate Desperate to keep the bombing going, Clinton, Blair and other leaders of NATO are fearful that peace initiatives launched by the Russian Government will gain support and lead to an agreement which would force NATO to stop the bombing and accept a role for the United Nations Organisation which has been excluded by NATO. NATO bombing runs have increasingly turned to the infrastructure of the Yugoslavian economy, destroying factories which have nothing to do with military supplies, bridges, the water supply, chemical plants and more recently the electricity supply system. The use of graphite bombs for a time blacked out Belgrade. NATO's claim that this is not directed against the civilian population would be laughable if it were not so criminal. Hospitals without electricity and refrigeration, high rise housing without working lifts, food production, water purification and pumping, sewerage -- a modern city depends on electricity for life-sustaining services. Cluster bombs killed and maimed civilians in the market place and hospital grounds of the city of Nis. Cluster bombs which spray a number of small land-mine type bombs are banned by international law. But this "technicality" is of no concern to the leaders of NATO who by their aggression against Yugoslavia had already violated their own commitments written in the United Nations Charter and in the Charter of NATO itself. Terrorist When home-made nail bombs went off in London it was called a terrorist attack, and rightly so. Cluster bombs dropped on civilians is also an act of terrorism and those responsible must be held accountable for it. Never in all history has there been such hypocrisy, immorality and outright lies foisted on the public from the daily dose of NATO propaganda. Last week saw intensified diplomatic activities directed at finding a political solution to the war. However, each proposal is rejected by the British and US war-hawks out of hand. It is worth noting that the KLA is also very unhappy with any steps towards peace. Peace moves Despite this, demands for peace are increasing. Protest demonstrations were understandably the biggest in China. But right across the world people are becoming more critical of NATO actions. The present stage in the war may be the most dangerous. Nothing irritates war-mongers more than moves towards peace. The urgency of the situation has resulted in new coalitions and organisations uniting people who are calling for an immediate end to the bombing. The Yugoslavian Government has initiated action in the International Court of Justice charging NATO with violation of the United Nations Charter and other international conventions. At the same time a group of lawyers from the United States and Canada has laid charges against the individual leaders of NATO before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia for their violation of international law and for the consequences of their bombing of Yugoslavia. Deliberate destruction In a statement to "The Guardian", CPA General Secretary, Peter Symon said that "the continued bombing of Yugoslavia and now the deliberate destruction of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade are making the intentions of NATO clearer by the day. "We believe that this war has nothing to do with Albanian refugees and everything to do with the objective of world domination and the New World Order which was loudly proclaimed by the then American President, George Bush, following the break-up of the Soviet Union. "Carried away by arrogance and the power of their weapons to terrorise and destroy whole countries, the leaders of NATO and especially the leaders of the United States and Britain, are determined to push on with their subjugation of the Balkans which is a strategic jumping off place for a further push to the east. "Control of the main centres of oil supplies in the Middle East and in the former Republics of the Soviet Union, control over the vast natural wealth of the Russian Federation would open the way in the future to the reimposition of colonialism in Asia, including China. "It is in this context that the bombing of the Chinese Embassy has to be seen. It had no military significance but enormous political significance. "However, NATO's aggression is awakening enormous numbers of people to the intentions of the present day Hitlers who also aspire as Hitler did, to world domination. "These criminals must be stopped. The bombing must stop now!", said Peter Symon. The Guardian 65 Campbell Street, Surry Hills. 2010 Australia. Email: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Website: http://www.peg.apc.org/~guardian -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/index.html Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
