FROM WTO TO UN: NO  ESCAPE FOR BUSH AND BLAIR

Close on the heels of the collapse of the WTO fifth ministerial meeting in Cancun, the latest session of the UN General Assembly once again brought home to the Bush administration the growing worldwide anger against its policies and acts of imperial aggression. In Cancun, the anger was directed not just against the US but also against its partners in the G-7 and the European Union, but in the UN the Bush and Blair regimes and the mercenary state of Israel were the near-exclusive recipients of global condemnation.

Starting with the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and French President Jacques Chirac, representatives of country after country condemned, albeit in varying degrees and different tones, Israel's continuing war on the people of Palestine and the leadership of Yasser Arafat. The Bush and Blair regimes came in for sharp criticism as much for their support to Israeli intransigence as for their barbaric occupation of Iraq. End of foreign occupation of Palestine and Iraq emerged as the immediate focal point for the global voice of peace even within the UN framework.

For Bush and Blair, the 'gherao' (encirclement) at WTO and the UN can only be described as the reflection of a much larger and fierce resistance being faced both at home and in Iraq. The resistance in Iraq is slowly but surely spreading over the entire country - and the slogan "George Bush, Uncle Sam, Iraq will be your Viet Nam" has begun to sound ominously true for Bush. The domestic situation has become all the more pitiable for Blair with the Labour Party fast losing ground not to the Conservatives but to the Liberal Democrats.

Where does New Delhi find itself in this emerging world reality? Now that the Cancun Ministerial meeting of the WTO has collapsed, the BJP is busy trying to project it as a big victory and Arun Jaitley as the hero of Cancun. The claim is hollow on both counts. At Cancun, the developing countries can only claim to have staved off another blow - the pressure is very much on and the G-7 countries are trying hard to impose their agenda by every possible means. And if the collapse of the Cancun meeting has to be viewed as an immediate victory, the credit for this victory goes most of all to the Least Developed Countries of Africa who staged a walkout under the leadership of Kenya. Interestingly, the LDCs were worried about being ditched by India and the walk-out was staged to preclude any possible last moment betrayal by the representatives of countries like India, Brazil and South Africa!

This is the real picture of the 'credibility' of India's rulers in the eyes of the overwhelming majority of developing countries. This credibility is all the more suspect in the political arena and Vajpayee's lack-lustre speech at the UN General Assembly did little to improve India's rating in international politics. The UN session was preceded by Vajpayee's meetings with Sharon and Bush and the speech remained predictably obsessed with Pakistan and terrorism falling far short of echoing the global cry for an immediate end to foreign occupation of both Palestine and Iraq.

Vajpayee's US visit may be termed a 'personal success' only in the sense that it enabled him to stay away from the immediate heat and dust raised by the Rae Bareli verdict. While Joshi and Advani remained busy grappling with the impact and implications of the Rae Bareli verdict, Vajpayee could afford to chuckle from a safe distance. Vajpayee also utilised his US visit to inflict some 'embarrassment' on the Congress by praising Sonia Gandhi before his American audience for her pro-Israel gesture at the time of Sharon's recent India visit. On the economic policy front, the Congress has little ground to question the BJP; on Hindutva the difference between the two parties has already been narrowed down to only a degree or two; and now on questions of foreign policy too the Congress-BJP consensus is becoming all too visible. Underlining this growing area of consensus is the most effective way for the BJP to defuse the Congress challenge.

For the fighters for a genuine people's alternative to the present policy regime, the message from the latest sessions of the WTO and the UN is quite clear. India needs a regime change at home before she can find her place at the forefront of the global battle against unequal trade and imperialist terror.

CPI(ML) AND AICCTU CONDEMN POLICE FIRING ON TEA GARDEN WORKERS IN TINSUKIA, ASSAM

CPI(ML) and AICCTU strongly condemned the heinous killing of 7 tea-garden workers by the police at Khobang tea garden of Tinsukia in Assam on 29 September. CPI(ML) demanded immediate arrest of the police and the tea-garden management bosses responsible for the atrocious police firing and their trial under section 302, adequate compensation to the bereaved families and government jobs to the family members of those killed. AICCTU has announced to hold nationwide protests against this assault on workers on 1 October. A team of CPI(ML) and AICCTU leaders rushed to the spot after getting the news of the killing.

Thousands of tea-workers have been agitating in Assam for a long time on a charter of demands including improvement in living conditions, just wages and bonus-facilities under the banner of CPI(ML)-led Sangrami Chah Shramik Sangha(ASCSS). And immediate issue was the rate of bonus before Durga Puja: the workers demanded 20% bonus but in several gardens the owners refused to raise it. The Congress-led Asom Chah Mazdoor Sangh (ACMS) as usual collaborated with the owners to press workers into submission, but the workers took recourse to struggle instead. On 26 September, around 3,000 tea workers led by ASCSS staged road blocade on NH-37 at Dibrugarh and then, around 1,000 tea workers staged road blocade in Tinsukia on 29 September. They were arrested by the police.

On the same day, when the tea workers of Khobang tea garden assembled to demand bonus before the management, the police resorted to completely unprov oked and indiscriminate firing, and killed seven of them including a child.

CPI(ML) and ASCSS in Assam have declared to intensify the stir till the demands of tea workers including 20% bonus are met and guilty police and administrative officials responsible for the firing are arrested and duly punished.

BHAGAT SINGH'S BIRTHDAY ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATED

On 28 September, Revolutionary Youth Association (RYA) held a mass meeting in Gwalior to remember the great martyr Bhagat Singh on his 96th birthday anniversary. After garlanding Bhagat Singh's statue, the meeting was addressed by Central Committee member Com. Prabhat Chaudhary, state Party leaders Vinod Rawat, Gurudatt Sharma, Devendra Singh Chauhan, RYA leaders Rashid and Satish. The participants pledged to intensify struggle against Mandir and Trishul and for employment.

In Narela of Delhi, Nagrik Vikas Panchayat organised cultural programmes and a mass meeting addressed by AISA leader Kavita Krishnan.

MASS MEETING AT MANDAWALI, DELHI

In the course of "Save Democracy, Save the Country" campaign launched by the Party, Delhi's Mandawali Party unit held a mass meeting on 28 September in continuation of its exposure campaign against Vajpayee Govt. at the centre and Sheila Dixit Govt. in Delhi. The meeting was addressed by East Delhi Secretary Sunita and Delhi Nagrik Sabha leaders Samundra Paswan and others.

FIRST AISA STATE CONFERENCE IN DELHI

On 25th September, the Delhi unit of AISA held its first state conference. It was attended by 45 delegates from the universities in Delhi. The delegates resolved to build a strong left student movement in Delhi, with AISA as its most powerful organisation. It was inaugurated by AISA leader Com. Kavita Krishnan. It elected a 19 member state executive Committee.

Earlier, the AISA unit of JNU held its conference on 20 September (also Com. Chandrashekhar's birthday anniversary). On 24 September, Delhi University unit of AISA held its conference. On both occasions seminars were also held.

GHERAO AGAINST FEE HIKE

The AISA unit of ADP college, Nagaon, gharoed the Principal on 26 Sept, 2003 to oppose the fee hike (Rs. 600 from the earlier fee of Rs. 400). Nearly 1,000 students participated in the programme. AISA also submitted a mass memorandum demanding withdrawal of fee hike, signed by 600 students.

DHARNA IN MYSORE GOVT. HOSPITAL

Under the banner of Karnataka Rajya Cooligarara Sangha (a CPI-ML affiliate) a dharna was organised in front of the Government K.R.Hospital on 11 September to protest against introduction of outpatient charges, fees of Rs. 200 for Medical fitness/post-mortem certificate and to demand the provision of CT Scan facility within the hospital. The dharna evinced lot of support from the public and media.

SEMINAR IN HARPANAHALLI, KARNATAKA

A seminar on 'Farmers' suicides, Drought and Communalism' was held jointly by Karnataka Rajya Krishi Karmika Sangha (KRKKS), Karnataka Rajya Rytha Shangarsha Samithi (KRRSS) and AIALA in Harapanahalli of Bellary district on 21 September. Speaking on the occasion, Com. Shankar, CCM, explained that the policies of state and central governments reversing land reforms, liberalizing imports, withdrawing subsidies and not guaranteeing support price and leaving the employment generation schemes at the mercy of contractors and lack of proper credit system and the emergence of the neo-landlords in the form of middlemen cum moneylenders are responsible for farmers' suicides. Dr. V Lakshminarayana, Prof. Hiremath, Ranjani, Ramappa, and many others spoke in the seminar.

CPI(ML) AND AICCTU HELD KOLKATA HC VERDICT ON RALLIES ANTI-DEMOCRATIC

In a statement issed on 30 December, CPI(ML) and All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) termed the verdict by Kolkata High Court imposing ban on rallies and processions on working days as a ruling to snatch democratic rights of the people.

CPI(ML) and AICCTU also criticised the acquiescing role of Left Front Government in the State and observed that some time earlier the Govt. itself had proposed a ban on rallies and processions, which was opposed from various quarters in the state. The Chief Minister has been issuing anti-labour statements time and again. Now the Govt. should use its legislative powers to annul the High Court decision.

PARTY CONFERENCES IN FOUR DISTRICTS IN BIHAR: PARTY RESOLVES TO SCALE NEWER HEIGHTS

A resolve to strengthen the organization and enhance agitational dynamism in order to scale newer heights was taken in the recently held district conferences in four districts of Bihar, namely Bhojpur, Siwan, Aurangabad and Muzaffarpur. In these conferences it was decided to intensify struggles on issues of land and wages and resolved to organise the forces of transformation and development to give a new orientation to Bihar while enhancing the political assertion of the poor against feudal-communal forces and corrupt-criminal regime in the state.

In Bhojpur, 7th district Party conference was held at Jagdishpur on 27 September, which was attended by around 400 delegates and guests. In the memory of martyrs, the conference hall was named 'Brajesh Sabhagar' and the whole area was named as 'Jiut-Sahatu Nagar'. After senior Party PB member Com. Ram Naresh Ram unveiled the memorials of Comrades Ramayan Ram and Jawahar Ram (martyrs of the early days of Party movement in Bhojpur) and hoisted the red flag, Party General Secretary Com. Dipankar Bhattacharya inaugurated the conference with the slogan "Growing dignity of the poor is the new identity of Bhojpur'.

Later on, addressing a mass meeting held on the occasion of successful conclusion of the conference, Comrade Dipankar said that the sacrifices of the martyrs like Master Jagdish, Jiut, Sahatu, Ramayan, Butan and Rameshwar would not go in vain and the design to strangle the rising voice of the poor will be given a befitting reply. He said that by getting 16 CPI(ML) activists including Com. Shah Chand convicted under TADA, and clamping sedition charges on students showing black flags to Advani, Laloo-Rabri regime has shown that it is treading on the footsteps of BJP. On the other hand, it has failed to punish culprits of dozens of massacres including Bathe and Bathani Tola massacres. He called upon the people to strengthen the hands of CPI(ML) so as to give a new orientation to Bihar. Comrades Nand Kishor Prasad, Ramji Rai and Kunal were also present.

The Sixth Party conference of Siwan district was held at Chandrashekhar Sabhagar, Andar (named Shyam Narain Yadav Nagar) which was attended by 175 delegates. The conference was inaugurated by Party PBM Com. Swadesh Bhattacharya, who urged the people to come forward to ensure most severe punishment to Shahabuddin, the killer of innocent people and several Party comrades including Chandrashekhar and Shyam Narain Yadav, and do away with the regime of crime and terror. The conference was also attended by other senior leaders including Bihar State Secy. Com. Ramjatan Sharma and Pawan Sharma.

The 4th Party district conference in Muzaffarpur was inaugurated by Central Committee member and incharge of Mithilanchal, Com. Dhirendra Jha at Khudiram Bose Hall on 27 September, who urged the participants to revive the spirit of historic Mushahari struggle. It was attended by 87 delegates. In Aurangabad district, the 7th Party conference was inaugurated in a mass meeting addressed by Com. Rajaram Singh on 27 September. The conference was held at Shaheed Pankaj Sabhagar in Rameshwar Muni Nagar.

NATIONAL CONVENTION OF GOVT. EMPLOYEES

A national convention of govt. employees was held on 25 September in Delhi by All India Govt. Employees' Federation and Confederation of CG Employees and Workers against the Supreme Court recent observation on rights to strike and unprecedented repression by Jayalalitha Govt. on its employees. The well-attended convention was addressed by leaders of AICCTU, AITUC and CITU, employees' federations and well-known jurists including Rajendra Sachar and Hardev Singh. Addressing the convention AICCTU General Secretary Com. Swapan Mukherjee said that right to strike could not be snatched by Supreme Court because it was not gifted to the workers but earned by them in the course of struggle, and called for a united countrywide movement including all India general strike on the issue. The convention resolved to submit a mass petition to Parliament with 5 crore signatures by December 2003, urging it to ratify the relevant ILO conventions according to which workers including govt. employees must enjoy full trade union rights including the right to strike.

NATIONAL CONVENTION OF TRADE UNIONS ON RIGHT TO STRIKE

On 26 September, a national convention of trade unions was held in Delhi, participated in by eight central trade unions as well as representatives from sector-wise unions like bank, insurance, railways, defence and state and central govt. employees federations. Those who addressed the convention included Swapan Mukherjee (AICCTU), MK Pandhe (CITU), Gurudas Dasgupta (AITUC), UM Purohit (HMS), Abani Roy (UTUC), Krishna Chakravarty (UTUC-LS), Saral Dev (TUCC) and Sanjeeva Reddy (INTUC). A declaration passed in the convention calls for the working class to observe national protest day on the second day of the next budget session. Decision on a nation-wide general strike will be taken later. Before this rallies and demonstrations will be held all over the country and a massive rally will be held in Delhi.

NATIONAL CONVENTION OF OIL SECTOR EMPLOYEES

National convention of oil sector employees against privatization was held on 28 September in Delhi. It was called by National United Forum against Privatisation of Oil PSUs. The convention was one of the largest conventions called by organized sector and was most widely represented, with all PSUs like ONGC, HPCL, BPCL,OIL, Indianoil, oil refineries, etc taking part. The convention was conducted by a 9-member presidium including Com. Biren Kalita, a CWC member of AICCTU and the convention was addressed by central trade union leaders including Com. Swapan Mukherjee, Gurudas Dasgupta and MK Pandhe. The convention decided to launch a nation-wide movement in the months of October and November including signature campaign, conventions and demonstrations, and observance of all-India protest day on 18 November. The convention decided that the oil sector will go for national strike immediately if the govt. resorts to bringing legislation to privatize it.

DHARNA BY RYA IN MUZAFFARPUR, BIHAR

Revolutionar Youth Association staged a dharna at Muzaffarpur district collectorate on 22 September on the demands to reopen hundreds of factories in Bela industrial area. Agitators also raised problems related to severe electricity crisis, sanitation, waterlogging, etc. They demanded ban on liquor kilns, vulgar films, posters and magazines and check on rangdari tax, criminal activities and police atrocities as well as connivance with the criminals

OBITUARY DEATH OF A SCHOLAR - ACTIVIST

World-renowned left and anti-imperialist scholar, writer, critic and activist Edward Said breathed his last on 25 September. He was 67.

Edward Said was born in 1935 in Jerusalem and raised in Egypt before moving to the United States as a student. He has been the frontrunner US advocate for the cause of Third World, Palestinian nationhood in particular. His most influential book, Orientalism (1978), was credited with forcing Westerners to re-examine their perceptions of the Islamic world. He wrote on many subjects, from English literature, his academic speciality, to music and culture. His later books include "Musical Elaborations" in 1991, and "Cultural Imperialism" in 1993. He taught in Columbia University.

Many of his books -- including The Question of Palestine (1979), Covering Islam (1981), After the Last Sky (1986) and Blaming the Victims (1988) -- were influenced directly by his involvement with Palestine. He was a prominent member of the Palestinian parliament-in-exile for 14 years before stepping down in 1991.

His outspoken stance made him many enemies; he suffered repeated death threats and in 1985 he was called a Nazi by the Jewish Defence League and his university office was set on fire.

INTERNATIONAL PROTEST AGAINST OCCUPATION OF IRAQ AND ASSAULT ON PALESTINIANS

More than 50,000 people assembled in London's Hyde Park on 27 September, for a march to Trafalgar Square to demand an end to the illegal occupation of Iraq by US and UK. The protest was part of an international day of action. This was the 5th national demonstration since the war against Iraq began, organised jointly by the Stop the War Coalition, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and the Muslim Association of Britain. It was a broad-based rally called under the slogans 'No more war--Freedom for Palestine'. Ken Livingstone, mayor of London, spoke as the host of the rally. Significantly, the marches were largest in Britain and Italy, where the Blair and Berlusconi governments were among Washington's staunchest backers, in defiance of massive popular opposition at the time. Opinion polls showed that almost 70 percent of Italians are against the idea of going to war with Iraq.

Across Spain, thousands of people carrying antiwar banners marched through the streets of Madrid, Barcelona, Seville and Malaga to demand withdrawal of 1,300 Spanish soldiers sent to bolster US troops in postwar Iraq.

Some 4,000 protesters in the Turkish capital, Ankara, unfurled banners against sending troops to neighbouring Iraq. Hundreds more gathered at a similar rally in Istanbul and burned American and Israeli flags. In Greece, 3000 demonstrators protested outside the US Embassy in Athens. Protests were also staged in other parts of Greece and on the island of Crete, outside an American naval base at Souda Bay, which hosts the US 6th Fleet and spy planes. Some 3,000 people marched in Paris, around 1,200 demonstrated in Brussels, Belgium, while about 400 people marched to the Reichstag parliament building in Berlin, Germany. Demonstrations also took place in Belfast, Stockholm, Sweden, Vienna, and Warsaw.

Thousands of Lebanese and Palestinian protesters in Beirut demanded that US forces leave Iraq and that Israel to stop its attacks in the Palestinian territories. Palestine Authority chairman Yasser Arafat addressed the crowd by phone from his headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah. In South Korea, about 2,000 people marched in Seoul to oppose a US request that South Korea send combat troops to Iraq.

Rallies were also held in many US cities to demand the withdrawal of troops from Iraq. Some 3,000 people took to the streets of Hollywood with banners displaying "Uncle Sam, Iraq will be your Vietnam".