Statement on Bali Bombings from Socialist Party/CWI
BALI BOMBINGS - NO TO TERRORISM - NO TO WAR
FIGHT FOR INTERNATIONAL SOCIALISM.
The terrifying carnage which ripped through the Sari nightclub at Kuta
beach in Bali, Indonesia, has shocked working people and youth
internationally.
Hundreds have been left maimed and injured as the death toll rose to
nearly 200 (at the time of writing) during Saturday night and Sunday.
Amongst the dead were young people from Britain, Canada, Germany,
Indonesia and especially from Australia.
Bali is to Australian youth what the Spanish Costa del Sol is to some
British workers and is accessible to them as a cheap holiday resort. The
bombings took place during the beginning of the Australian summer period.
Inevitably, therefore, the victims of these bombings were completely
innocent young people largely from working class families who were
simply trying to have a good time and enjoy the summer holiday.
The CWI and socialists condemn these bombings and the use of such
terrorist methods. In the most brutal manner they illustrate how the
barbarism, turmoil and conflict of modern capitalism encroach into the
lives of people, even when they try to get some respite from the ravages
of the capitalist world on a summer holiday. The consequences of the
attacks on 11th of September had previously been seen as somewhat remote
in Australia. These horrific bombing illustrate how the consequences of
those events are now being felt in area of the world.
Socialists support the mass mobilisation of working people to fight
against exploitation, capitalism and imperialism. Marxists have never
supported the use of terrorism by small groups or individuals to fight
against the ruling class or the capitalist system. Such methods have
always been counter productive and acted against the interests of the
working class.
In the past, for example in the struggle against the Czarist regime in
Russia in the 19th and early years of the 20th century, some groups used
the methods of individual terrorism - shooting a general or other
representative of the Czarist regime. Such methods did not advance the
struggle of the workers and peasants against Czarism and landlordism or
capitalism. They were used by the ruling class as an excuse,to introduce
further state repression against the working class. They also hindered
the development of a collective understanding that mass action was
necessary to overthrow landlordism and capitalism. However, at least
such actions were directed against specific targets associated with the
repressive regime which existed at the time.
The bombings in Bali, and other incidents, are indiscriminate attacks
whose main victims are working people.
Two questions arise following the harrowing scenes which flashed onto
the television screens around the world over the weekend: Who carried
out the bombings and why?
The bombings were probably carried out by a right-wing Muslim
fundamentalist group, possibly with links to the al-Qa'ida network. In
the Muslim countries of the neo-colonial world such groups have been
able to feed on the rising sentiment of anti-western and, in particular,
anti-US sentiment. This has grown along with the massive increase in
poverty in these countries, increased exploitation by the western
imperialist powers, the conflict between Israel and Palestine and the
threat of an attack on Iraq.
This has resulted in a growing perception that the 'Christian west' is
attempting to take control of the Muslim world for its strategic and
economic interests. In reality the 'Christian' capitalist class of the
west have been prepared to collaborate with Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, and
Jewish allies, and others, who defend landlordism and capitalism and the
strategic and economic interests of the ruling class.
Almost simultaneously as two bombs were detonated at Kuta, a third
exploded at the US consulate in nearby Denpasar.
Indonesia is the most populous Muslim country in the world. Right-wing
fundamentalist groups such as Jamaah Islamiya (JI), which is reported to
have links with al-Qa'ida, have built a certain influence because of the
mass poverty, desperation and anti-western and anti-US imperialist
sentiment which exists.
This is because of the failure of the Communist Party, PKI,
historically. This was the most powerful 'Communist Party' outside of
the former Soviet Union and China. Despite this mass influence of this
party it failed to take power. As a consequence the working class and
oppressed suffered brutal repression under the Suharto dictatorship
which seized power in 1966. The failure to take power and subsequently
to lead a sustained struggle in the underground opened the way for
fundamentalist forces to intervene in the vacuum which has opened up.
A nightclub, on an island with a Hindu majority, associated with western
'immorality, sex and alcohol', would be an 'acceptable target' for such
groups as JI. Palestinian fundamentalist suicide bombers have also
wrongly hit similar targets in Israel.
These attacks follow a series of recent incidents, including the
shooting of a US soldier in Kuwait, the killing of 11 French submarine
technicians in Karachi and the suicide bombing of the French oil tanker
Limburg off the coast of Yemen.
The attacks on French targets are in retaliation for the initial backing
the French ruling class gave to Bush and his 'war on terrorism'.
The attacks in Bali are likely to have been directed at Australia
because of the tough 'pro-Bush' line adopted by Australian Prime
Minister John Howard. After signing up to the 'war on terrorism' within
24 hours of the September 11th attacks, Australian special forces have
been operating with American troops in Afghanistan.
These horrific bombings are an anticipation of further attacks in the
future, particularly against 'targets' from countries whose ruling class
is openly backing Bush. These are certain to increase if the Bush
administration invades Iraq. British targets, because of Blair's role
internationally, must be high on the list of likely targets.
These bombings indicate the turmoil that capitalism is unleashing
internationally. As the commentator Robert Fisk pointed out: "Bali only
emphasises what the past year should have taught us: that individual
innocence no longer protects us, that we are living - whether we know it
or not - in a terrifying new age." (The Independent, 14 October 2002).
The carnage of the bombings in Bali poses the question of why such
horrors are now taking place. They are a condemnation of capitalism and
imperialism. The massive increase in poverty, the ever-widening gap
between the rich and poor that has accelerated with globalisation have
created the social conditions that give rise to such attacks. As the
British daily 'The Independent' puts it: 'Unless there is more justice
in the world, Bali will be repeated'.
However, what The Independent does not explain is that capitalism cannot
eliminate injustice which is weaved into its fabric as a system. The
developing international economic recession will result in greater
poverty and attacks on the living standards of the mass of the
population, in particular in neo-colonial countries such as Indonesia.
The leaders of the capitalist world weep crocodile tears at the fate of
the youth who were killed and maimed in Bali. However, they remain
silent about the slaughter and human misery they and their system are
responsible for. More than 10,000 tones of bombs have been dropped on
Afghanistan since September 11th. This is more than half of what fell on
London during the Blitz of the Second World War. US air raids in
Afghanistan have killed between 3,100 and 3,600 people according to
'Global Exchange' and Professor Marc Herold of the University of New
Hampshire!
The promised aid to pay for reconstruction has not materialised. The
World Bank estimated that US$16 billion was needed to rebuild the Afghan
economy over the next decade. So far of the US$5billion pledged in aid
only US$45 million has arrived. Of the $US 1.8 billion due to be spent
on reconstruction in the first twelve months following the fall of the
Taliban, most has gone on financing the UN and other aid agency's
bureaucracies. The average cost of maintaining a foreign UN worker in
Afghanistan for a year is $US250,000!
The Christian fundamentalist dominated Bush regime, his Christian
fundamentalist ally Blair, Britain, together with Jewish fundamentalists
in the US and Israel may try and use the Bali bombings as further
justification to invade Iraq. They have provided no evidence, despite
Rumsfeld's claim to the contrary, that the Iraqi regime is linked to
al-Qa'ida. A key element in the drive to launch an occupation of Iraq is
oil and the need for US imperialism to secure new oil supplies and
reserves, especially because of the unstable situation which exists in
Saudia Arabia.
Should they go ahead with this invasion, it will unleash massive social
and political turmoil in the Middle East. Anti-western, especially
anti-US, sentiment would be enormously strengthened internationally. The
recent attacks on US soldiers in Kuwait, one of the most pro-western of
the Gulf States, is a warning of the explosive situation which will
develop. The bombings in Bali may widen the division amongst the ruling
class about launching an attack on Iraq.
The hardliners in the Bush administration are using the bombing to try
and strengthen their campaign in favour of an attack on Iraq. The more
far-sighted representatives of capitalism are increasingly doubtful that
this strategy is in their best interests. As the British Financial Times
commented in its editorial following the Bali bombings: "The threat of
an attack on Iraq by the US and its allies is likely to fuel the growing
support for extremists in Pakistan and elsewhere in southern Asia...This
raises difficult questions for President George W. Bush as he considers
the next steps in the war against terrorism."
Moreover, in the US itself, and internationally, if the US ruling class
goes to war against Iraq, it will do so with growing mass opposition to
the war - before it has even begun! Despite the bombing in Bali 35,000
marched in an anti-war rally in Melbourne Australia and observed
one-minute silence to remember those killed in the bombings. This,
according to some reports, is the largest anti-war rally in Melbourne
since the Vietnam war. There is growing opposition to the war amongst
the US population.
Bush, Blair and Howard and, ultimately, their system will be blamed for
the carnage that a war on Iraq and any further terrorist attacks that
will inevitably arise from it.
These events illustrate the need to build a mass socialist alternative
to capitalism and imperialism amongst working people internationally. It
is only the building of socialism internationally that will eliminate
the social conditions that spore 'terrorist' groups and allow them to
operate. It is only by building a mass socialist alternative that it
will be possible to unite the working peoples of the world in a struggle
to confront capitalism and imperialism.
# No to Terrorism and War!
# Fight Imperialist attempts to attack Iraq and unleash terror on the
Iraqi and Palestinian People.
# Fight for a Mass Socialist Alternative to Capitalism and Imperialism.
International Secretariat 14/10/02
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