LL:ART: Castro speaks about Infinite Justice
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. * Castro speaks about Infinite Justice Fellow countrymen: No one can deny that terrorism is today a dangerous and ethically indefensible phenomenon, which should be eradicated regardless of its deep origins, the economic and political factors that brought it to life and those responsible for it. The unanimous irritation caused by the human and psychological damage brought on the American people by the unexpected and shocking death of thousands of innocent people whose images have shaken the world is perfectly understandable. But who have profited? The extreme right, the most backward and right-wing forces, those in favour of crushing the growing world rebellion and sweeping away everything progressive that is still left on the planet. It was an enormous error, a huge injustice and a great crime, whomever they are who organised or are responsible for such action. However, the tragedy should not be used to recklessly start a war that could actually unleash an endless carnage of innocent people and all of this on behalf of justice and under the peculiar and bizarre name of Infinite Justice. In the last few days we have seen the hasty establishment of the basis, the concept, the true purposes, the spirit and the conditions for such a war. No one would be able to affirm that it was not something thought out well in advance, something that was just waiting for its chance to materialise. Those who after the so-called end of the cold war continued a military build-up and the development of the most sophisticated means to kill and exterminate human beings were aware that the large military investments would give them the privilege to impose an absolute and complete dominance over the other peoples of the world. The most extremist ideologists and the most belligerent hawks, already set in privileged power positions, have taken command of the most powerful country in the world whose military and technological capabilities would seem infinite. Actually, its capacity to destroy and kill is enormous while its inclination towards equanimity, serenity, thoughtfulness and restraint is minimal. The first victims of whatever military actions are undertaken will be the billions of people living in the poor and underdeveloped world with their unbelievable economic and social problems, their unpayable debts and the ruinous prices of their basic commodities; their growing natural and ecological catastrophes, their hunger and misery, the massive undernourishment of their children, teenagers and adults; their terrible AIDS epidemic, their malaria, their tuberculosis and their infectious diseases that threaten whole nations with extermination. The grave economic world crisis was already a real and irrefutable fact affecting absolutely every one of the big economic power centres. Such crisis will inevitably grow deeper under the new circumstances, and when it becomes unbearable for the overwhelming majority of the peoples, it will bring chaos, rebellion and the impossibility to govern. But the price will also be unpayable for the rich countries. For years to come it would be impossible to speak about the environment and the ecology, or about ideas and research done and tested, or about projects for the protection of Nature because that space and possibility would be taken by military actions, war and crimes as infinite as Infinite Justice. Can there be any hope left after having listened to the speech made by the President before the US Congress? I will avoid the use of adjectives, qualifiers or offensive words towards the author of that speech. They would be absolutely unnecessary and untimely when the tensions and seriousness of the moment advise thoughtfulness and equanimity. I will limit myself to underline some short phrases that say it all: We will use every necessary weapon of war. Americans should not expect one battle, but a lengthy campaign unlike any other we have ever seen. Every nation in every region now has a decision to make. Either you are with us or you are with the terrorists. I've called the armed forces to alert and there is a reason. The hour is coming when America will act and you will make us proud. This is the world's fight, this is civilisation's fight. I ask for your patience [...] in what will be a long struggle. The great achievement of our time and the great hope of every time, now depend on us. The course of this conflict is not known, yet its outcome is certain. [...] And we know that God is not neutral. I ask
LL:ART: ACT NOW FOR PEACE!
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. * 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
LL:ART: Noam Chomsky Interview Sept. 30
From: Michael Albert [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, October 01, 2001 12:31 AM Subject: ZNet Commentary / Noam Chomsky / Albert Interviews Chomsky / Sept. 30 http://www.zmag.org/sustainers I sent six questions to Noam Chomsky. His answers, by email, are below. (1) There has been an immense movement of troops and extreme use of military rhetoric, up to comments about terminating governments, etc. Yet, to many people there appears to be considerable restraint...what happened? From the first days after the attack, the Bush administration has been warned by NATO leaders, specialists on the region, and presumably its own intelligence agencies (not to speak of many people like you and me) that if they react with a massive assault that kills many innocent people, that will be answering bin Laden's most fervent prayers. They will be falling into a diabolical trap, as the French foreign minister put it. That would be true -- perhaps even more so -- if they happen to kill bin Laden, still without having provided credible evidence of his involvement in the crimes of Sept. 11. He would then be perceived as a martyr even among the enormous majority of Muslims who deplore those crimes, as bin Laden himself has done, for what it is worth, denying any involvement in the crimes or even knowledge of them, and condemning the killing of innocent women, children, and other humans as an act that Islam strictly forbids...even in the course of a battle (BBC, Sept. 29). His voice will continue to resound on tens of thousands of cassettes already circulating throughout the Muslim world, and in many interviews, including the last few days. An assault that kills innocent Afghans -- not Taliban, but their terrorized victims -- would be virtually a call for new recruits to the horrendous cause of the bin Laden network and other graduates of the terrorist networks set up by the CIA and its associates 20 years ago to fight a Holy War against the Russians, meanwhile following their own agenda, from the time they assassinated President Sadat of Egypt in 1981, murdering one of the most enthusiastic of the creators of the Afghanis -- mostly recruits from extremist radical Islamist elements around the world who were recruited to fight in Afghanistan. After a little while, the message apparently got through to the Bush administration, which has -- wisely from their point of view -- chosen to follow a different course. However, restraint seems to me a questionable word. On Sept. 16, the New York Times reported that Washington has also demanded [from Pakistan] a cutoff of fuel supplies,...and the elimination of truck convoys that provide much of the food and other supplies to Afghanistan's civilian population. Astonishingly, that report elicited no detectable reaction in the West, a grim reminder of the nature of the Western civilization that leaders and elite commentators claim to uphold, yet another lesson that is not lost among those who have been at the wrong end of the guns and whips for centuries. In the following days, those demands were implemented. On Sept. 27, the same NYT correspondent reported that officials in Pakistan said today that they would not relent in their decision to seal off the country's 1,400- mile border with Afghanistan, a move requested by the Bush administration because, the officials said, they wanted to be sure that none of Mr. bin Laden's men were hiding among the huge tide of refugees (John Burns, Islamabad). According to the world's leading newspaper, then, Washington demanded that Pakistan slaughter massive numbers of Afghans, millions of them already on the brink of starvation, by cutting off the limited sustenance that was keeping them alive. Almost all aid missions withdrew or were expelled under the threat of bombing. Huge numbers of miserable people have been fleeing to the borders in terror, after Washington's threat to bomb the shreds of existence remaining in Afghanistan, and to convert the Northern Alliance into a heavily armed military force that will, perhaps, be unleashed to renew the atrocities that tore the country apart and led much of the population to welcome the Taliban when they drove out the murderous warring factions that Washington and Moscow now hope to exploit for their own purposes. When they reach the sealed borders, refugees are trapped to die in silence. Only a trickle can escape through remote mountain passes. How many have already succumbed we cannot guess, and few seem to care. Apart from the relief agencies, I have seen no attempt even to guess. Within a few weeks the harsh winter will arrive. There are some reporters and aid workers in the refugee camps across the borders. What they describe is horrifying enough, but they know, and we know, that they are seeing the lucky ones, the few who were able to escape -- and who express their hopes that ''even the cruel Americans must feel some pity for our ruined
LL:DDS: Against War and Racism meeting October 4
BRIEF NOTE: The planning meeting held last night (Thurs) at Trades Hall in Adelaide was attended by about 40+ people from a range of groups and several interested individuals. All agreed that we work together in a Network called NOWAR - Network Opposing War and Racism - which is the same name used by some other states' groups for similar networks. **Confirmed that if bombing begins people meet on Parliament House (Adelaide) steps at 5pm on that same day. Chair and speakers were suggested and agreed to (if available and agreeable) **Follow-up meeting to be held at Trades Hall, 11 South Terrace next Thursday 4th at 6pm, to plan future actions. **A working group ; media reps ; and co-treasurers were chosen --and aims of the group were agreed upon: No US war No Australian troops or support for war No racist scapegoating No attacks on democratic rights International justice not war Seek global peace through economic and social justice -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:DDV: Women rally in Spring Street October 14
In celebration of Refugee Week, come to the 'WOMEN RESPECTING DIVERSITY' RALLY The women of Victoria, Irrespective of their race, religion, ethnicity and colour, are working together to combat religious and racial intolerance that proliferated since the New York tragedy. Defend Multiculturalism from those who are determined to use the incident to unleash their anti-Muslim and anti-Arab sentiments. When: Sunday October 14, 2001 Time: 11:30 am to 2:30 pm (official start at 12 noon) Where: Steps of the Victorian Parliament (top of Bourke Street, City), and afterwards in the Treasury Gardens nearby. What: Short speeches from diverse women, enjoy some music/entertainment, then BYO picnic. Show your solidarity and support by wearing green, white or purple symbolising women for peace and harmony. Family, partners and friends are most welcome. For information, please ring: Rosemary Iachelini 9687 3494 or 0418 568 490, Sheila Byard 9376 7870, Annie Pettitt 9654 5050, Dr. Melika Sheik-Eldin 9328 5611 or 0414 952 431, and Nazrah Ibrahim 0402 434 620. Organised by the Victorian Immigrant and Refugee Women's Coalition Supported by YWCA Victoria, AMES, VCOSS, UNAA Status of Women Network, AFUW-Vic, Union of Australian Women, ANCORW, ALP Women's Policy Committee, WAVE, CAPOW, Islamic Council of Victoria, Women's Health West, Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria, Melbourne City Mission, Inner Western MRC, Equal Opportunity Commission Vic, ourcommunity.com.au. and many others Union of Australian Women Inc A 002121R Ross House, 247 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, 3000 Phone/fax (03) 9654 7409 Email [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:DDV: anti-war demo 2pm this sunday
Please circulate widely. No war No racism No Australian involvement Defend democratic rights Rally 2pm Sunday 7th October City Square initiated by ANSWER leaflets/posters stockpiled at New International Bookshop, Trades Hall call 96623744 Jeff Sparrow Coordinator New International Book Co-operative Box 18 Trades Hall 54 Victoria St Carlton Sth 3053 tel 03 9662 3744 fax 03 9663 4755 to receive regular updates about bookshop events, click below http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nib-announce -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
