The following article was published in "The Guardian", newspaper of the
Communist Party of Australia in its issue of Wednesday, October 3rd,
2001. Contact address: 65 Campbell Street, Surry Hills. Sydney. 2010
Australia. Phone: (612) 9212 6855 Fax: (612) 9281 5795. CPA Central
Committee: [EMAIL PROTECTED] "The Guardian": [EMAIL PROTECTED] Webpage:
http://www.cpa.org.au> Subscription rates on request.
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ACT NOW FOR PEACE!
Anti-war demonstrations have erupted in over 40 countries in the two weeks
since the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington and the militarist
response of the US and some other governments. More and more people are
taking to the streets to counter the war danger.
More than 180 demonstrations have already taken place around the world,
bringing on to the streets an estimated 285,000 people. A very wide
range of community, trade union, political, solidarity and other
organisations are backing and taking part in the peace actions.
In Rome 100,000 marched, in Naples 30,000 in Washington upwards of
20,000, in Athens 10,000. The biggest peace action to have taken place
in Amsterdam since 1980 brought 10,000 people on to that city's streets.
Over 150 organisations supported the action.
Demonstrations have already taken place in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane,
Adelaide and Perth. The Sydney demonstration drew upwards of 1500 people
with a meeting at Town Hall Square, followed by a march to Martin Place
and a further meeting there. A number of organisations formed the
Network Opposing War and Racism (NOWAR). The meeting was addressed by
speakers from the Muslim and Afghani communities, the Greens, the
Communist Party, the Socialist Alliance, the NTEU and a church group.
All are united on the common NOWAR aims which are:
* No War!
* No Australian support for war
* No racist scapegoating
* Respect democratic rights!
The next Sydney demonstration will take place on Saturday, October 13.
Sydneysiders are urged to keep that day free and to make it a tremendous
show of strength with thousands more demonstrating that there is a
democracy of the streets which is committed to a peaceful world without
racism.
Dangerous build up
Meanwhile the dangerous build up of military and naval forces continues
in the Middle East threatening military action against Afghanistan.
While the target is said to be the oppressive Taliban regime and Osama
bin Laden, the statements of American leaders that the US is facing an
"infinite war", is a clear message that many other countries are also in
the sights of the US administration.
Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said the US would engage in a
"multi-headed effort" to target terrorist organisations and up to 60
countries believed to be supporting them. The US "had no choice" other
than to pursue terrorists and countries giving them refuge, he said.
In pursuit of this objective the US has initiated and rushed through a
resolution at the UN Security Council which demanded that all nations
freeze finances of suspected terrorists and crack down on groups that
help them.
The measure requires countries to deny "safe haven" to anyone
responsible for, or supporting a terror attack, and criminalises the
financing of such attacks.
The resolution, which was voted for unanimously, stipulates economic and
diplomatic sanctions or the use of military force against countries
which fail to comply with Security Council decisions.
However, it does not define a terrorist and provides a blank cheque to
be used against any country that the US may brand in the future as
harbouring or allegedly financing what the US might choose to regard as
a terrorist.
Russia and China have stressed that any anti-terrorist operations should
be conducted under the principles of the UN Charter and international
law and must have specific targets and conclusive evidence. The two
countries have also declared that it is necessary to avoid hurting
innocent people and that any action taken should "boost global peace and
development".
Military force
The present military force being assembled under the command of the US
is NOT acting with any UN authority. The threatened US action is NOT
covered by any UN resolution. It has NOT even been discussed formally by
the UN Security Council.
Furthermore, talk by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan of the danger of
biological and nuclear weapons being used by unnamed terrorists against
unnamed targets has taken all the pressure and focus off the need to
reduce existing stockpiles of such weapons and to end their production
altogether. It is no accident that the US has the world's biggest
nuclear and biological arsenal. Such speculation also provides the US
with a justification to continue on with its "star wars" missile defence
system.
The best guarantee for peace is the mass actions of the people on the
streets uniting every person and every organisation that opposes the
carnage of endless war. War will not end terrorism but will promote it.
Violence begets violence and to quote Mahatma Ghandi: "An eye for an eye
makes the whole world blind", while a Chinese proverb also declares that
"One who pursues revenge should dig two graves".
It is not too late to act!
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