CPI(ML) HOME Vol.6, No.16 April 16-22, 2003

 

In this Issue:

Editorial...

The CPI(ML) Central Committee's Message to the Entire Party

(on the Occasion of the 34th Anniversary of the Party's Foundation>

Dear Comrades,

This April 22 as we observe the 34th anniversary of the foundation of our Party, the attention of the whole world is focused on the future of Iraq. Over the last twelve years and particularly over the last few weeks we have seen how a third world country which had won independence after a long period of colonial rule and which had successfully consolidated its national unity and national economy by nationalising and developing its most key resource - oil - has been subjected to systematic imperialist loot, plunder and destruction. Millions of Iraqi men, women and children have been slaughtered and maimed, the civilian and military infrastructure of the country has been thoroughly damaged and destroyed and now the very unity and integrity of Iraq is seriously at stake.

What was Iraq's crime? Its first crime was that it had managed to get rid of British colonial domination and nationalise its oil industry. Then, it had played a key role in organising the oil exporting countries as a powerful economic bloc, which in turn posed a big challenge to the economic hegemony of the United States. And in recent years it had dared defy the dictates of American imperialism. Even twelve years of severe economic sanctions and systematic UN-sponsored destruction of its weapons had failed to subdue the spirit of Iraqi defiance.

Iraq is clearly not an isolated case. It has just been preceded by a similar war on Afghanistan. Iraq was probably the weakest among the three countries Bush had mentioned as 'the axis of evil', the other two countries being Iran and North Korea. More and more countries are now being threatened with every passing day. Syria, Libya, Jordan, Venezuela - the list is getting longer and longer. By invading and occupying Iraq, American imperialists not only want to plunder Iraq's oil and control the global oil economy, they want to establish a new international order wherein the US will enjoy the 'right' to invade and occupy any country and restructure any region according to its own wishes and interests.

The question that must now be haunting every Indian who values the independence of the country is whether India can consider herself safe in this emerging international context. The answer is a big NO. The plunder of our natural, human and financial resources has already reached an alarming level. In partnership with their Indian collaborators, foreign multinationals are increasingly dominating every sphere of the Indian economy from agriculture, mining and industry to banking, insurance and communications and information technology. Equally striking is the tightening American grip on India's defence and foreign policies. In the name of fighting global terrorism, mediating between India and Pakistan and facilitating a solution to the Kashmir dispute, Washington has already entrenched itself strategically in both Pakistan and India.

Yet the Indian ruling classes have chosen to effectively endorse the Anglo-American invasion and occupation of Iraq. Their only complaint is why the Americans are not targeting Pakistan in a similar fashion. Instead of resolving all outstanding disputes with Pakistan through bilateral discussion, the Indian rulers want American intervention to deal with Pakistan. Tomorrow, these people will invite American troops inside India in the name of tackling domestic unrest. Already, the BJP-led NDA government has declared a brutal domestic war on the Indian working people and the minorities. When people are not being slaughtered in state-sponsored genocides and fake encounters, they are being left to die of starvation or driven to committing suicides in hundreds. The bonds of national unity and the potential of national resistance and progress are thus being systematically weakened and eroded.

Who will save the country from this growing national crisis? Who will punish these enemies of national independence and unity? Who will give a fitting rebuff to the fascists and imperialist agents? Who will revive the glorious anti-imperialist legacy of the Indian people? Who will lead the new battle for a strong and independent India? An India whose voice will lend courage and strength to even the weakest of all countries in defending its independence from the clutches of imperialist aggression? An India where the toiling millions will enjoy effective democracy and equitable development and whose unity will be reinforced by the free development of its diversity and multi-dimensional national identity?

The onus is on us. As soldiers of Indian revolution and heirs of our great martyrs, it is for us to take up this great challenge. Once again, every member of the CPI(ML) shall have to prove himself or herself worthy of being a member of the party of the Indian proletariat, the party of Indian revolution. Once again, every committee and branch of the CPI(ML) shall have to rise to the occasion.

To be sure, the situation is ripening for a new phase of communist advance. American might may have prevailed militarily over the beleaguered Saddam Hussein regime in a patently unequal war, but politically it is the Anglo-American alliance, and especially American imperialism, which is getting isolated and defeated in this war. The entire Arab world is seething with rage and a new wave of militant mass resistance against the US-Israel nexus is in the making. In fact, the whole world has witnessed an unprecedented mass awakening against war and imperialism and this carries the seeds of a powerful resurgence of the international communist movement. In India too, more and more people have started rising in protest against the barbaric onslaught of the fascist forces and the disastrous impact of the new industrial and agricultural policies.

Every major crisis in the history of capitalism has been marked by wars and the new century has already witnessed two wars or two episodes of an unfolding mega-war. But if imperialism goes on producing a chain of c

rises and wars, can resistance and revolution be far behind? On the 34th anniversary of the foundation of our great and glorious Party let us rededicate ourselves to the completion of our revolutionary task. Let us make every effort to strengthen and consolidate the Party in all its dimensions, because a strong and unified revolutionary party holds the key to every decisive step of advance.

Red Salute to our immortal martyrs!
Inquilab Zindabad! CPI(ML) Zindabad!

With warm revolutionary greetings,
Central Committee,
CPI(ML)

India Must Reject the American Agenda of Colonisation and Balkanisation of Iraq

(Handout issued by CPI(ML) General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya at press conference held in Kolkata on 10 April, 2003)

Three weeks after the US-led war of occupation began in Iraq, the country has been pushed into an abyss of unprecedented devastation. While the people and forces of Iraq are still offering significant resistance in different parts of the country, the US has already started installing a set of puppet rulers. Bush and Blair are clearly pursuing an agenda of disintegration or balkanisation of Iraq on the pattern of erstwhile Yugoslavia. It is a most brazen display and execution of Orwellian doublespeak wherein "freedom" means colonisation and "reconstruction" means balkanisation, systematic destruction and disintegration.

The need of the hour now is to squarely oppose and resist this Anglo-American imperialist agenda while standing by the Iraqi people in every possible way at this hour of national and humanitarian disaster. The growing anti-war opinion and movement of the Indian people has finally succeeded in forcing the Vajpayee government to adopt a parliamentary resolution against the war. It is however quite revealing that while the Vajpayee government agreed to adopt a resolution in Hindi, it lacked the courage to condemn the war in English, the language of Bush and Blair. We must also realise that a mere word of condemnation at this stage is certainly not enough and pressure must be mounted on the Government of India to reject and confront the emerging Anglo-American blueprint for the future of Iraq.

We strongly condemn the statement made yesterday by external affairs minister Yashwant Sinha on the floor of Rajya Sabha requesting a pre-emptive US-led military strike on Pakistan. He and his colleagues have repeatedly suggested that Pakistan is an ideal candidate for inviting a US-led war without UN support. This invitation being extended to the American war mongers constitutes a direct threat to India's own national interests. At a time when the people of India are worried about the future of Iraq and about the impact and implications of this war for our own country and for the whole of South Asia and the third world, the war-mongers in Delhi are busy dancing to the American tune of war.

Regardless of the future shape of things in Iraq, the anti-war movement in India must be intensified to safeguard India's own freedom and vital national interests from the spreading tentacles and tightening grip of the Anglo-American imperialists. In this context, we welcome every sincere expression of the Indian people's anger and anguish and call for broadening and intensifying the anti-war anti-imperialist movement. A powerful rejuvenation of the Indian people's anti-imperialist legacy will not only help halt the Anglo-American war machine in its tracks, it will also pave the way for giving a most effective rebuff to the merchants of communal fascism in India.

On the occasion of the 34th Anniversary of the foundation of the CPI(ML) we salute all our comrades, friends and well-wishers for their participation, cooperation and continued inspirations and reiterate our commitment to carry forward the cherished mission for a new-democratic India hand-in-hand with them till the fulfilment of our common goal!

The 7th All India Party Congress renewed its pledge as:

"The critical situation today demands of us whole-hearted and wide-ranging initiatives. Our members, sympathisers, friends and well-wishers and vast masses wish to see us maintain our revolutionary character, but at the same time emerge as a big force, in terms of expansion of areas and mass base, larger number of people marching on the fields and streets in militant protests and resistance movements, and at the same time our notable presence in Parliament, State Assemblies and local bodies as well.

We can and must live up to this expectation. What we need is a Party which combines a full blossomed democratic environment with an iron discipline, dynamism with dedication, diversity in action with uniformity in ideology, unrestrained creative role of an individual with unconditional loyalty to the collective. We need to guarantee cordial and lively relations among comrades on the basis of unhesitant criticism and self-criticism, mutual respect and cooperation, and cement closer ties with the people, particularly with the basic classes. We need to summon the courage and determination to scale greater heights.

Ours is the Party that must lead the Indian people to new democracy and socialism. Let us dedicate ourselves anew to this great cause."

From the General Programme of the CPI(ML)

"Combining theory with practice, maintaining close links with the masses and practicing criticism and self-criticism are the three cardinal Principles of the Party's style of work. In developing its practice, the Party always adheres to the policy of seeking truth from facts and conducting deep investigation and serious studies."

"Overthrowing the central rule of the big bourgeois-landlord alliance, the victorious revolution will usher in a people's democratic state to carry out the following basic tasks and uphold the new democratic orientation.

1. Thorough democratisation of the structure and affairs of the state, vesting political power at every level with bodies elected on the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage and guaranteeing full individual and collective democratic rights of the people and various democratic parties and organisations, eradication of the culture of police brutalities and army intervention in civilian affairs and restructuring the police and armed forces and infusing them with a new spirit of service to the people and the nation.

2. Reconstitution of national unity on the basis of a federal, democratic, secular polity recognising the nationalities' right to self-determination including secession and instilling a sense of belonging, equality and security in all minority groupings, effective democratisation of decision-making, devolution of resources and decentralisation of developmental activities to enlist popular participation in nation-building.

3. Rapid economic development and eradication of mass poverty on the basis of thoroughgoing land reforms and comprehensive industrialisation, taking over the reins of national economy from the hands of the monopoly-multinational-landlord nexus and vesting the working people with effective say in decision-making and production, reordering the present priorities and reorienting the existing policies to suit the requirements of self-reliance and public welfare.

4. Effecting a modem democratic cultural transformation of the whole society, ensuring universal education and basic health-care for the people, abolition of all sorts of social, economic and sexual exploitation of women and ensuring their equal status and rights in all affairs of life, eradication of caste oppression, protection of the rights of dalits and adivasis and helping all weaker sections of the society to catch up in the race of social progress.

5. Abrogation of all unequal treaties and pacts concluded by the reactionary ruling classes with the imperialists, as well as all unequal treaties imposed by the Indian ruling classes on the neighbouring countries; developing firm unity with the socialist countries and other progressive anti-imperialist regimes and friendly relations with Third World countries in general, forging solidarity with the peoples struggling for national liberation and emancipation throughout the world and establishing diplomatic relations with all countries on the basis of the five principles of peaceful co-existence.

With this programme of people's democratic revolution, the Party dedicates itself whole-heartedly in the service of the great revolutionary cause of communism in India."

Shaheed Mela in memory of Laldhan Maha

A Shaheed Mela was organised in the memory of Comrade Laldhan Mahto in Bagodar of Giridih district in Jharkhand on April 4, the day he was martyred to police bullets a year ago near Ghanghri, his native village, during a district bandh called by the Party. The Mela, witnessed participation in huge numbers of people from nearby villages and it was reported that nearly ten thousand people including women and children converged in the Mela to remember their beloved comrade.

A life size statue of Comrade Laldhan was installed at the place of his martyrdom besides a bust which was installed near the secondary school where he taught children for many years. Comrade Laldhan Mahto embraced martyrdom in the prime of his youth, at the age of 32, will be remembered by the common and toiling masses forever.

Jan Sanskriti Manch unit of Jharkhand presented revolutionary songs and plays on the occasion.

Agitating People Burnt Police Station

Almost each and every pocket in Bihar is in the grip of police-criminal-politician nexus. The common people are forced to come on to the streets in protest against this all-pervading nexus. Recently the people of Bakhri in Begusarai district of Bihar has set an example as they gheraoed the Bakhri police station on April 9 to protest the killing of two traders exposing the dubious and criminal role of police in this matter. The police opened fire on peacefully protesting people injuring many including a fourteen year boy who suffered bullet injuries in his head. This further angered the protesters and they set afire police station, resulting in a van and furniture burnt to ashes. The CPI(ML) called for 'Bakhri bandh' on April 13 against this incident which received an overwhelming response. The Party has demanded to punish police personnel responsible for the firing on the people.

Ranvir Sena Goons Kill Four in Bihar

On April 9, the gangsters of the banned Ranvir Sena killed three innocent poor including a women and two children at Jhikatia village in Kinjar block of Arawal in Bihar. The criminals also attacked Nirakhpur village but they had to beat a retreat in face of a stiff resistance by the villagers. In spite of the fact that two police pickets are situated near the place of the crime, police reached the spot several hours later. The people have charged the police is acting hand-in-glove with Ranvir Sena. The CPI(ML) has demanded stern action against the SP of Arwal in this case. An investigating team of the Party has also visited the village and held a mass meeting. In another incident Ranvir Sena killed one person on April 13 at Puran village in Karpi block of Jehanabad.

AIPWA State Conference in Assam

The 5th Assam State Conference of AIPWA was held at Guwahati on April 5-6 with a call to fight against imperialist war and communalism. Open session of the conference was participated by prominent women writer Dr. Anima Guha, Arupa Baruah and Anjali Lahiri. The delegate session discussed about the rise in attacks on women's rights and dangers of communal fascism and imperialist globalisation, which makes the women a commodity. Delegates discussed about the experiences of their activities. The secretary's report placed by Kanak Lata Dutta, also included some positive experiences of successful movements led by state AIPWA.

Addressing the delegate session Rubul Sarma, State Secy of the CPI(ML), said that the activist and leaders of the women organisations must understand the interlink between the struggle against imperialism, communal fascism and struggle for economic and social security and called upon them to develop women's movement as a social movement. The conference resolved to expand the organisational network, build up organisation among agrarian labourers and tea workers, to develop broad based movement of unorganised women employees, to continue and intensify movement against communalism and imperialism.

The conference elected 21-member state Council and 9-member executive with Anju Barkatoky as President, Kanaklata Dutta as secretary. Saroj Chaube addressed the conference as Chief Guest. Delegates from Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Jorhat, Nagaon, Sonitpur, Barpeta, Karbi Anglong district and Guwahati attended the conference.

Against War on Iraq:
High School Students Boycott American Drinks

As nationwide protests are continuing againsst American occupation of Iraq, students in Patna held protest marches and called for boycott of Pepsi, Coke and other US brands. On April 7, students of Miller High School in Patna organised a demonstration under the banner of AISA and burnt the effigy of Bush. Demonstrating students, waving placard with slogans like "No Pepsi, No Cola, No America, No War", also held a mass meeting near Radio Station. AISA volunteers organised street corner meetings on April 9 in Patna. Bihar units of AISA and RYA have demanded to the state government to cancel the licences and ban them, Coke and Pepsi in particular. AISA-RYA also held a militant 'Halla Bol' protest in front of a Pepsi agency in Patna on April 10 and appealed to all retailers not to sell these products.

In Jharkhand, Jan Adalats, organised by CPI(ML) at every district headquarter on April 15 declared Bush 'War criminal no. 1' and 'Enemy of the world no. 1'. Effigies of Bush were hanged in protest.

Revolutionary Youth Association held out a demonstration in Chennai on April 9 to condemn the war on Iraq and burnt Bush's effigy before American Consulate. The protest was held in a situation when Jayalalitha announced just the previous day that owing to high-security area permissions for holding demonstrations will not be given in front of American Consulate. RYA State Secretary Eraniappan, State President Thanga Tamil Velan and Raghu courted arrest with other demonstrators.

An anti-war demonstration was organised jointly by CPI(ML), CPI, CPI(M) and JD(S) at Pondicherry on March 31. Another demonstration was held jointly on March 27 by AICCTU, CITU, AITUC.and UTUC. CPI(ML) Assam state committee along with AIPWA took out a procession on April 6 at Guwahati condemning Communal Rath Yatra and War on Iraq. They organised this programme just one day prior to the BJP rally which was held on April 7 in Guwahati. This procession against BJP's Rath Yatra and communal designs had a good impact on the people in the state.

This War is a Crime against Humanity

It may never be known how many Iraqi soldiers and civilians were killed. They dropped bombs on innocent people and never bothered to count the bodies. It was a killing from a distance, in a cowardly manner. People were killed without the people who do the killing seeing very much of the consequences until hours or days later. Heavy artillery fire, aerial bombing, then forcing the hopelessly disorganised and outgunned Iraqi soldiers into open to face annihilation by one more barrage of aerial bombardments. Ruthless mass murders to establish hegemony over the people who don't want Americans, or any army for that matter, to rule their country. Civilian vehicles were blasted with 25mm high-explosive rounds and machine gun fire. Their homes were bombed by 2000 pound bunker-buster and cluster bombs. Ali Ismail Abbas, 12, was sleeping when a missile shattered his home and killed all in his family. Orphaned Abbas, severely injured, asks "can you get me my arms back?" Cities and towns have been devastated, civilian buildings, bridges and highways have been reduced to rubble. The war against Iraq is a slaughter of Iraqi people, and their sovereignty.

Bush is proceeding to install a puppet regime in Iraq in order to get legality, in a thoroughly illegitimate way, to the transfer of the country's oil wealth to American multinationals violating the most basic principle of self-determination. They are giving contracts to 'rebuild' Iraq. Vultures are rending the bodies of the dead. US media is concealing the reality. While hospitals are overflowing with injured civilians and soldiers, the streets of Iraq are littered with incinerated bodies, destroyed homes and families buried alive.

Worldwide movement against war must be intensified. It must be spread and intensified with full vigour in India too. To give the imperialists and their Indian stooges a befitting reply.

 

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