Defying growing worldwide protests, the US-led war against Afghanistan has entered its second week, leaving a tremendous trail of death and devastation in the beleaguered battle-worn country. The UN, which has been completely shelved and sidelined by the United States in the present crisis, has ironically been bestowed with the Nobel Peace Prize in the midst of this barbaric unilateral war. The telling irony was further heightened by the fact that among the first civilian deaths reported from Afghanistan were those of four Afghan citizens working for a UN project in Kabul.

Two basic facts about this war have already come to the fore in a stunning manner. First, even after relentless shelling for more than a week now, Bush is nowhere near achieving his stated target: 'Laden, dead or alive'. As the war intensifies and spreads over both time and space, it is clear that the US claim of 'precision bombing' is the cruelest joke of our times. With Iraq being labeled as the primary suspect in the anthrax infection cases, there is a possibility of the war being directed against Iraq as well. In fact, by targeting terrorism, the US actually wants to claim and establish a general right to wage war against any country at any time. In other words, faced with a major economic slowdown and growing anti-globalisation protests, the US now needs an 'enduring war' to reassert its 'enduring hegemony'.

Secondly, the protests against America's Afghan War are clearly far more widespread and powerful than during the Gulf war a decade ago. While the Western imperialist media is trying its level best to portray the protests as an Islamic outcry for jihad, it is becoming increasingly impossible to suppress the broad-based anti-imperialist nature of the protests. With the war - the actual military war as well as the accompanying propaganda war - fuelling racist, anti-Islamic prejudices across the world, internal social life has been seriously affected in almost all countries with a multi-religious multicultural population. As more and more people can thus feel the war around them, and the implicit but very real danger of this campaign against terrorism lapsing into a global war of attrition and destruction, anti-war protests are bound to grow wider, louder and stronger.

Being so close to the Afghan border, we in India can clearly hear the echo and feel the heat and dust of the war, and protests are naturally growing in all corners of the country. We can also see very clearly the internal implications of this war, how it is being sought to be exploited by the otherwise tottering saffron regime in India to save its own skin and advance its own agenda. By banning SIMI, the government has already officially blessed a heightened hate campaign against the Muslim minority. The situation in Kashmir is being daily manipulated to create a jingoistic climate all over the country. Vajpayee's daily prayers to Bush and hectic visits by people like British Prime Minister Tony Blair and US Secretary of States Colin Powell clearly point to an increased imperialist interference in the region. And the reinstatement of the Tehelka-tainted George Fernandes as the defence minister in Vajpayee's cabinet betrays an arrogant contempt for democratic norms.

The war is now Vajpayee's biggest and easiest pretext for securing legitimacy for his beleaguered government, covering up all its glaring failures and betrayals and launching new campaigns for state repression and communal violence. It is therefore all the more necessary that we oppose this imperialist American war with all our might. If the fascists are desperate to exploit the opportunities opened up by the war, communists and all other progressive democrats must not only stall the fascists in their tracks but also push forward the people's agenda of jobs and justice, of freedom and democracy to beat back the imperialist war offensive.

CPI(ML) strongly protested the arrest of 6 students belonging to DSP and AIPRF on 8 October while distributing anti-war leaflets in Delhi and their being booked under the charges of sedition and conspiracy. Party said that this is an indication of the rising fascist trend under the present saffron regime which is bent on surrendering Indian sovereignty to the American war strategy. This curtailment of democracy is only meant to strangulate people's voice of patriotism and peace. The Party appealed to all democratic, patriotic and peace-loving people to launch strong popular protest against the arrest and compel the authorities not only to release the students unconditionally, but to apologize for the police high-handedness and take stern action against the erring officials.

In another statement Party condemned the reappointment of George Fernandes as Defence Minister on 15 October. Party said that nothing else could be expected from a shameless fascist soul like Vajpayee, other than a show of utter disdain towards public discontent against corruption at high places; or from a degenerated socialist like George, other than to go back on one's own high-sounding "moral commitments". However, this restoration is invariably detrimental to the cause of country's moral standing as well as its national defence, particularly in the light of Venkatswamy Commission's revelation that the Tehelka tapes are genuine. Subsequent to awarding Bangaru Laxman a post equivalent to Union minister, this act of the government under the pretext of US imperialist war against Afghanistan has proved it to be the most zealous protector of corrupt people in power and scamsters.

In the run up for the anti-WTO peasant rally to be held in Delhi on 9 November by All India Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, Bihar Pradesh Kisan Sabha launched a week -long 'Kisan Jagran Yatra' covering 8 districts of south Bihar. It was flagged off on 16 October by Com. Ram Naresh Ram at Shaheed Smarak, Patna. Around 40 meetings will be held during the Yatra, which is led by peasant leaders of Bihar Com. Rajaram Singh, Shivpujan Yadav, Chandradeep Singh, Arun Singh and Ramadhar Singh. Main slogans include "No war, we want peace, we want resolution of the agrarian crisis", "Save the agriculture from starvation, save the country from WTO".

In Rajasthan, Jhunjhunu district conference of Rajasthan Kisan Union (RKU) was held on 10-11 October. Representatives form 8 blocks attended the conference. The conference resolved to intensify peasant movment on the demands of a guaranteed 8-hour supply of electricity, appropriate water policy, procurement of bajra on declared prices and declaration of a comprehensive policy on agriculture. The conference was addressed by Com. Rajaram Singh, Convenor of Bihar Pradesh Kisan Sabha, Ruldu Singh, Senior Vice President of BKU (Punjab) and Com. Rajvinder Rana, Secretary of Punjab unit of CPI(ML).

Following the successful Bihar Bandh on 29 Sept. and week-long statewide campaign for 2-8 October, Party organised a massive "resistance rally" on north Bihar level at Muzaffarpur on 9 October demanding resignation of Rabri-Laloo govt. holding it responsible for kidnappings, killings and massacres. The rally covered the main streets of the city, ending into a mass meeting at Company Bagh maidan. Addressing the rally Party General Secretary Com. Dipankar Bhattacharya said that if there is no limit to injustice, repression and barbarity under this regime, then there would not be any limit to protest and resistance either. He said that the Muzaffarpur has shaken the already hurt conscience of Bihar people. In Bihar, citizens and rural folks alike are not safe; entire state has been mortgaged to barbarity. The question of safety has become the biggest question of democracy. The meeting was also addressed by Party PB members Com. Ram Naresh Ram and Nandkishor Prasad and other leaders including Rameshwar Prasad, Dhirendra Jha, Virendra Gupta, Amarnath Yadav, Satyadev Ram, Sudama Prasad, Krishna Mohan and Ranjit Abhigyan. The meeting was presided over by Com. Meena Tiwary.

On 10 October, around 300 Party leaders and cadres led by Com. Dipankar started a "Sankalp Padyatra" from Khudiram Bose memorial, after paying their tributes to the great martyr Khudiram. Waiving red flags, the marchers expressed the resolve to make the protest against mafiadom the common voice of Bihar people. The objective of the Padyatra was being constantly explained over the microphone on a vehicle marching in front of the Padyatra. People expressed their solidarity all over, and participated in hundreds and thousands in more than a dozen meetings held during the 125-km journey on foot. At many a place people stopped the caravan and eagerly requested for a meeting. Traffic was delayed for hours at several points on the highway, still there was no complain, rather people got down from the buses to watch "Sankalp Padyatra". It is estimated that through handbills, meetings, campaign vehicles etc., around 2 lakh people were approached in this process.

When the caravan entered Patna district, hundreds of Party actgivists led by Com. Ram Naresh Ram, Nandkishor Prasad and Ramjatan Sharma welcomed it and then thousands of Patna citizens watched this militant march on an 8-km. stretch from Gaighat to "Shaheed Smarak". Thrughout the Padyatra, slogans like "CPI(ML) calls for a new Bihar, safe Bihar", "Rabri-Laloo, patrons of kidnappers and killers, must resign".

On 13 October, tens of thousands peasants, workers, student-youth, women and teachers-employees-professionals participated in a state-level "mass resistance rally" held in Patna. Starting from Gandhi Maidan and passing through main thoroughfares of the city, the rally reached Income Tax square. Addressing the meeting held there Com. Dipankar said that it is wrong to say that the sensibility of Bihar people has died, what has died is the sensibility of corrupt politicians who are indulged in the blind chair race, pushing millions of people towards insecurity. Security has become a big question and Bihar is not safe in the hands of these handful of politicians dependent on mafia and criminals. The call of "safe and new Bihar" is not just a Party call, it is the call of Bihar people, and it is a pledge. Participation of millions in this struggle will give rise to a storm that will sweep away politics of criminalisation and bury it forever. Maaley is the party of the weakest and most unsafe people in Bihar, therefore it knows the real pain of life very well. Condemning American bombing of Afghanistan he said that while Vajpayee govt. has adopted a completely servile attitude before an aggressive America, within the country they are harassing Muslim youth and toiling people in the name of SIMI. India of Bhagat Singh, Khudiram Bose and Charu Mazumdar will never allow such a conspiracy to fan communal frenzy. The meeting was also addressed by several other Party leaders. It was resolved to take the message of this campaign to every village and town of Bihar and intensify the struggle to build new Bihar and new India.

Following the incident of communal tension in Phulwari Sharif of Patna on 13 October, in which Bajrang Dal hooligans raised provocative slogans and started making trouble, CPI(ML) sent an investigation team and organised a peace march at Phulwari Sharif on 14 October, led by Party CC member Com. KD Yadav, Bihar Khet Mazdoor Sabha leaders Rameshwar Prasad and Vidyanand Vikal, Mushtaq Azim of Inquilabi Muslim Conference, Party Town Committee Secretary Umardaraz Murtuza Ali, Ali Anwar of Pasmanda Muslim Mahaj, and others. They demanded that the government must immediately ban the communal and riot-monger Bajrang Dal and arrest the trouble-makers led by Shambhu Singh. The marchers appealed to people of all professions to play exemplary role in maintaining communal harmony and amity.

Recently, criminals in connivance with police arsoned and looted Brahmagyani harijan tola of Bhawanipur block of Purnea district. Party unit called bandh and blocked the road in protest, but, instead of criminals, police arrested a Party cadre Com. Chaturi Paswan. The Block Party Secy. met the OC and demanded Com. Chaturi's release, but he didn't oblige. Soon the news spread and people started gathering to gherao the PS. The police was bound to release Com. Paswan.

In the whole district, a week-long mass mobilisation campaign centering this issue was conducted from 2 to 8 October at block level. It earned good response in Dhamdaha and Rupauli. On 9 October, 3rd anniversary of Nagbhushan Patnaik's demise, the campaign was concluded in a demonstration held at Dhamdaha. More than 700 people came to attend it despite torrential rains.

As part of 5th National Conference's decision to hold anti-war demonstrations everywhere on 15 October, AICTTU held a demonstration against the war led by America and its allies in Afghanistan and burnt the effigy of US President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair at Parliament Street. Around hundred protestors were led by AICCTU leaders Com. Swapan Mukherjee, NM Thomas, Himmat Singh, Santosh Roy and others. Addressing the mass meeting Com. Swapan Mukherjee said that the Indian govt. has surrendered national sovereignty by pleading before US Secy. of State Gen. Collin Powell to arbitrate on Kashmir issue. He said that while even US has accepted that innocent civilians have been killed in the bombing, Indian govt. without showing any concern has shamelessly justified the attack and it is making communal use of the war. Speakers demanded immediate withdrawal of military intervention in Afghanistan in which innocent working people are being killed. A spirited demonstration of 200 workers was held in Ambattur industrial area of Chennai despite torrential rains. Similar demonstrations were held in Patna and Ranchi and other centres.

At Sattar Kataiya block of Saharsa district, people staged demonstration demanding relief, but authorities paid no heed. Then around 4,000 people under the Party banner, led by Com. Ramnath Yadav, Uday Kumar Singh and Bhagwan Tudu, gheraoed the block office. All the officials including BDO were chucked out and touts beaten with shoes. When local police arrived, people encircled them. Ultimately the district authorities reached there with additional forces and rescued the police contingent. Party Cadres have been named in the FIR and some leaders have been arrested.

The feeling of disbelief (on Naipaul being awarded Nobel Prize) had to do with something entirely non-literary -- Naipaul's perception of Islam. It will not suffice to say that his views are controversial for, actually, they are bizarre. So far Naipaul is concerned, Islam is the worst thing that has happened to mankind, for it destroys a country's and an individual's past... Notwithstanding the painstaking effort, the suspicion remains that the conclusion has preceded the research. Perhaps this suspicion would have remained no more than that if Naipaul had not tried fit this preconceived thesis into Indian history as well. The result has been the articulation of prejudice and ignorance on a scale which one hardly expects from a famous writer.

His views gradually changed from being dismissive about India... to a realisation of its complexity ... and then to admiration... In the process, however, they also hardened into a bias against Islam, making him so myopic that he couldn't understand why RK Narayan never bothered about the 'clash of civilisations' which is central to Naipaul's current worldview... At the moment, however, since he is on a civilisational trip, the honour bestowed on him is strangely appropriate.

More often than not since its formation in the dismal context of World War II, the UN has found itself marginalised on a wide variety of international security issues. Therefore, these effusive sentiments about peace, so eloquently expressed in the award citation, will raise questions about how far the UN can really manage to avoid being eclipsed again as the world's multilateral architect of peace and geopolitical stability. In a related sense, the Nobel Committee's choice of the UN itself for the latest award may well set the stage for a vigorous new debate on substantive question of a fair reform of the truly global organisation and more particularly of its security council... A fair evaluation of the veto rights of the permanent members of the Security Council will also be required to heighten the confidence of the UN members in their only 'representative' caucus on questions of peace and stability.

The Communist Party of Afghanistan strongly condemns US imperialism's threats of aggression and strongly resolves to stand against it if such an imperialist invasion and occupation takes place, and will strive to organise and unleash the people's resistance under the independent revolutionary banner as part of the world revolution. Only if this just cause becomes a material force and is increasingly strengthened and expanded can we advance the anti-US imperialist war of resistance as a stage of People's War and the New Democratic Revolution in Afghanistan. A crucial condition of this cause is that "pan-Islamism" and the present ruling reactionary "theocracy", whether of the Taliban or non-Taliban variety, continue to be one of the main targets of the revolutionary struggles, and that the struggle against it be carried out in different forms. Otherwise, once again the precious blood of the masses will be wasted and the chains of oppression and slavery will remain intact.

We believe that Bush administration is also motivated to wage war in the region by its interest in Middle Eastern and Central Asian oil. The administration's close ties to the oil, gas and energy industries are no secret.

We would argue that capitalist globalisation, gross inequality, poverty and corporate plunder of the world's natural resources and labour provide fertile soil for anger and desperation to grow. The struggle against terrorism is inseparable from the struggle for peace, justice and self-determination.

We refuse to let the Bush Administration and the ultra right define patriotism as war. In this new century, we must pledge to put an end to war and violence as means for solving humanity's problems.

The anti-war sentiment is much broader and bigger than the size of the demonstrations indicate; people oppose military action for different reasons, ranging from concern about terrorist reprisals, to the danger that a larger war will result, to the terrible fact that many innocent people will be killed by US bombs. All of these are reasons to call for peace.

And indeed, peace is the most radical slogan in contemporary USA. In America thousands have protested in Portland, Berkley, New York, Washington and other large cities, while anti-war protests have been held at over 150 college campuses. On over 20 US IMC sites many reports of events have been coming in.

Tens of thousands of people from all corners of Britain gathered in London on 13 October to protest the war on 'terrorism' and Afghanistan. Demonstrators marched from Hyde Park to a rally in Trafalgar Square, organised by CND. The diversity of individuals and groups involved - peace groups, women's rights campaigners, Palestinian groups, pensioners, kids, Muslims and many more - was best described by one demonstrator: "We're not part of any group, we're just...people." Earlier too, thousands of people had demonstrated in Brighton on 30 September, the first day of the Labour Party Conference. Then on 8 October, just after the bombing of Afghanistan started, 50 people had gathered at Trafalgar Square while 100 held a peace vigil opposite Downing Street. A convergence at Oxford Street went through Trafalgar Square to Whitehall, then to Parliament Square chanting 'No War but the Class War'.

In addition to the large London demonstration people also gathered at Menwith Hill to show their opposition to the current war and Americas Star Wars programme. In Glasgow, thousands protested against war on 13 October.

In Dublin, two organisers were arrested as police tried to provoke the peaceful march. Over 26 people have been arrested in Protests in the last three weeks.

Tens of thousands of people took to streets in German cities on 13 October to call for an end to the military strikes against Afghanistan. Some 30,000 people belonging to more than 100 organizations, including peace groups, trade unions and political parties, participated in the demonstration in the capital city of Berlin under the slogan of "No War! Stand up for Peace!" The protesters voiced objection to possible German military participation in the strikes. "Germany can't go to war anymore," a young woman said. In southern city of Stuttgart there were also some 10,000 demonstrators protesting against the military strikes in Afghanistan, according to police.

In Perugia, Italy, tens of thousands walked the annual 23-mile peace walk between Assisi and Perugia under banners calling for a halt to U.S.-led strikes on Afghanistan. Up to 2,50,000 people attended the march for peace on 14 October, making it the biggest demonstration so far in the growing protest at the missile bombardment. It follows smaller marches in Italy on 13 October, including two in Rome and one in Naples which attracted 2,000 youths and other demonstrations across Europe.

The protesters shouted "We want peace not war", "Stop the terrorism against Afghanistan"; and chanted slogans attacking George Bush, the United States President.

8th National Conference of

Jan Sanskriti Manch

10-11 November, 2001

IMA Hall, near Gandhi Maidan
Patna

Contact
Ajay Singh, 3/28, Patrakarpuram, Gomtinagar, Lucknow-226001
Phone: (0522) 391436
Ramji Rai, Samkalin Lokyudh,
SP Verma Road, Patna-800001
phone: (0612) 230986
samkalinlok@rediffmail.com

8th National Conference of

Jan Sanskriti Manch

10-11 November, 2001

IMA Hall, near Gandhi Maidan Patna

IMA Hall, near Gandhi Maidan
Patna