US Must Quit Iraq and Hand over Saddam Hussein to the People of Iraq

Saddam Hussein is now finally in US custody. While Bush and Blair may claim this to be the ultimate vindication of their Iraq war, an arrested Saddam only brings home the monumental magnitude of their lies and crime of invading and occupying a sovereign country

Saddam is accused of having ruled Iraq with an iron fist for three decades, killing tens of thousands of his opponents, communists and Kurds. Yet his dictatorial regime was never even reprimanded at that stage by the predecessors of either Bush or Blair. He went to war with Iran, but the war enjoyed complete American approval for it was necessary for the US to teach Iran a lesson. Until now, the issue of Saddam’s alleged human rights violations has barely found a mention in the vast stream of US propaganda attempting to justify the invasion of Iraq. The only pretext repeated endlessly was that Saddam Hussein’s was a rogue regime which possessed enormous amounts of deadly weapons of mass destruction and that it posed a security threat to the US. And that has been shown to be a complete lie, a made-in-USA pulp fiction

Can anyone imagine a regime possessing stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction fold up in a manner that Saddam Hussein’s Baathist regime did? Following the ouster of the Saddam regime the US started describing him as the leader of the anti-occupation resistance. All attacks on US troops were described as the handiwork of Saddam ‘loyalists’. But can anyone imagine the chief of a major guerrilla band or even a terrorist network getting caught as smoothly as Saddam has eventually landed in US custody? And if really getting hold of Saddam dead or alive was the ultimate aim of Bush’s Iraq war, what explains the continuing presence of the US troops in Iraq even after Saddam’s arrest?

However much the western media may now try to portray Saddam as an Arab Hitler and build a case for his urgent trial and exemplary punishment, their lies are not going to cut any ice with informed international opinion. They want to celebrate the Anglo-American occupation of Iraq by showing pictures of a helpless Saddam being checked for lice and tooth decay. They want to market fresh myths about Iraqis celebrating and heaving a sigh of long-awaited relief after his arrest. But nowhere in Iraq are there any genuine signs of celebration after his arrest just as there were none after the fall of his regime. Reports emanating from Iraq however talk about continuing protests against his arrest in city after city.

And contrary to claims of Saddam cooperating with his captors, he is reported to have not just denied the stories of Iraq possessing weapons of mass destruction and having links with Al Qaida, but also castigated the US-led occupation of Iraq. To be sure, the ‘verbal volleys’ fired by an incarcerated Saddam against the American occupiers and their Iraqi collaborators are bound to prove much more potent than his fabled weapons of mass destruction

There is no case for holding any international trial for Saddam Hussein. The people of Iraq can be the only arbiter for the future of Iraq as well as for the fate of Saddam Hussein. For a world being ravaged by a belligerent US imperialism, the need of the hour is to bring the US war machine to a halt and then punish Bush for his contemptuous and systematic violation of the basic tenets of international law and human civilization

Remembering VM on His Fifth Memorial Day:

Put the Revolutionary Left in the Driver’s Seat of the Left Movement

. [From the concluding speech delivered by Comrade Vinod Mishra at the Sixth Congress of the CPI(ML) in 1997.]

.... I have the full confidence that when we step out of this hall we will once again, shoulder to shoulder, march alongside each other in the struggle to change the future of the country with the same warm camaraderie, with the same rock-like unity. This has been our Party’s tradition and shall remain so in the days to come.

The fundamental reason behind our strong unity is that we have always held high the glorious traditions of the communist movement of our country. From the Naxalbari movement of 1967 to the movement of the ’70s, inspite of all the deviations and mistakes, we have never negated them. We have always given due regard to our legacy. We have neither rejected the great struggles and sacrifices of our communist revolutionaries nor the leadership of Com.Charu Majumdar. We always held high the dignity of our martyrs and of our great leaders. But at the same time we have always learnt from our mistakes. We have openly criticised our mistakes and incorporated new experiences in our Party line. Holding high our legacy and making necessary readjustments in Party line in consonance with the demands of the present — I think our Party has combined these two tasks in the correct way and this has been the foremost secret of our unity.

Comrades,
We are aware that there lie great challenges before us. We face attacks from various quarters. In this Congress we have resolved to face all these challenges. But this is also the time when a lot of opportunities have come our way. This is a period of challenges as well as opportunities. We have to face all the challenges and make full use of the opportunities. This Congress has given us the responsibility to dislodge the social democrats from the driving seat of the left movement in India and establish the leadership of the revolutionary Left over the same. Our entire Party has to accomplish this mission and the present times are the best times because the social democrats nowhere stand at the forefront of mass struggles as they have become part and parcel of the ruling establishment. That is why making full use of this opportunity, we have to move with full force to fulfil this responsibility which has been our historic mission since the Naxalbari movement.

Apart from this, comrades, the challenge posed by the feudal armies, be it Ranvir Sena or other such feudal armies, who think that they can wipe out our Party with the might of guns, by killings and massacres, has come up as a big challenge for us. We have to tackle this challenge with full self-confidence. We must understand that their frenzied attacks do not symbolise their future, their strength. Rather they are the last-ditch attempts of the dying feudal forces.

... We have to establish at an all-India level, a genuine democratic front. Such a democratic front that can, in a true sense, become a magic wand for the Indian revolution. Except CPI(ML) no one else has the necessary moral authority and political vision to accomplish this task.
Long live the memory of our martyrs!
Long live revolution!
Inquilab Zindabad!

From the Circular of the Central Committee

(We are reproducing important excerpts from the Resolutions and decisions adopted by the CC, CPI(ML) in its meeting held at Darbhanga, Bihar from 7-9 December, 2003. Analysis on the outcome of Assembly elections in four states is not being reproduced as major points have already been covered in the editorial of the previous issue, no. 50, of ML Update -Ed.)

Indo-Pak Relations and Kashmir Talks: The CC has welcomed the recent measures announced by the governments of India and Pakistan towards normalization of Indo-Pak ties and restoration of full diplomatic relations between the two neighbours. Prime Minister Vajpayee must take part in the forthcoming SAARC summit in Islamabad and use the opportunity to normalize bilateral relations with Pakistan in particular.

Attempts to normalize and improve Indo-Pak ties and find a negotiated political solution to the Kashmir question through serious and sincere talks with all sections of Kashmiri organizations must go hand in hand. Advani has been known for playing a key role in vitiating the Kashmir atmosphere with his provocative statements and rigid stance. He must be withdrawn from the Kashmir negotiations and a joint parliamentary group and a broader group of eminent citizens and human rights activists should instead be entrusted with the responsibility of creating an atmosphere of trust and confidence and carrying forward talks with all concerned.

Killings of Migrant workers and Karbi-Kooki clashes in Assam: The CC heard reports of the Party’s multifarious peace and solidarity initiatives in Assam and Bihar with regard to the killings of Bihari workers and Karbi-Kooki clashes in Assam. A central delegation of the Party comprising senior leaders from both Assam and Bihar visited the worst violence-affected region of Tinsukia and addressed a peace rally in Tinsukia town on 29 November. Our comrades in Karbi Anglong have strongly opposed the Karbi-Kooki clashes and exposed the opportunist forces responsible for the violence. They are conducting extensive relief and rehabilitation operations among the affected Karbi people and have also mounted pressure on the District Council and the state government to stop the killings. On the first day of the forthcoming session of the Assam Assembly (December 18) a powerful demonstartion will be held in front of the Assembly to demand immediate action to stop the violence.

Removal of the Bihar DGP and the Movement against Criminalisation of Politics: The Bihar DGP who had initiated some action on Shahabuddin has been removed. The DGP claims to have submitted a 100-page report containing extensive information about the criminal-politician nexus and Shabuddin’s alleged links with the ISI. Laloo Prasad now accuses the DGP of helping the Ranvir Sena and suppressing investigation into the fodder scam. We have called upon the Bihar government to make public the DGP’s report and also the Amir Das commission’s findings regarding the political links of the Ranvir Sena. A series of powerful agitations are being launched to corner the government on this issue.

AIALA Conference and after: The biggest achievement of the Party in 2003 has undoubtedly been the successful completion of the Ara conference of agricultural labourers and the launching of AIALA on a solid membership foundation. In the course of preparation for this conference several State Committees ran time-bound campaigns renewing the Party’s emphasis on the agrarian front. In the process we were able not only to reenergize our existing base and revive some of our old and abandoned pockets but also make primary inroads into new areas and sections and achieve a degree of expansion as well. This has equipped Party committees with a new confidence and ideological vigour and unleashed new enthusiasm and initiatives among the ranks. This must be carried forward to its logical conclusion. All efforts are to be made to bring this class to action as an organized force in villages, panchayats and districts and to develop huge number of fresh activists and cadres from among them.

Among all Party Committees, the Bhojpur District Committee of the Party made the most sustained and determined efforts in this connection and took up the task as a real challenge. From enrolling a record membership to hosting the conference in a truly befitting manner, comrades of Bhojpur have indeed made Herculean efforts and won a well-deserved success for the Party. The dedicated efforts of the committee evoked a powerful response from the class and also generated a lot of goodwill among our friends and well-wishers. In the course of this huge exercise, the Committee also held its own conference, erected nearly twenty martyrs’ memorials, made a powerful mass intervention to foil the ugly design of communal forces and pushed the Ranvir Sena into further disarray and isolation. The CC salutes the spirit shown by the Bhojpur Committee and calls upon all Party Committees to grasp and emulate this experience in their own areas and fields.

Some states could not participate in the conference because of impending Assembly elections. But they must not remain aloof from this current and do everything possible to catch up.

Apart from participating in all-India and sectoral strike actions, our trade union centre should also effectively intervene in major crisis-ridden sectors like the tea industry in Assam and North Bengal, coal sector in Bengal and Jharkhand, oil sector in Assam, state government employees’ movement in different states. Efforts to organize unorganized sector workers in a big way by concentrating on a few select sectors like construction, powerloom etc. must continue.

The kisan sabha organisation is still at a very primary stage in most states. The kisan sabhas must try to intervene effectively in the continuing procurement crisis. They must intensify their desired role to expand and consolidate base among poor and middle peasants. Party committees at different levels must help and guide trade unions and kisan sabhas (peasant organizations) in building up agitations on burning issues.

Party Organisation: There has been a general improvement in the overall environment in the Party. By and large the outlook is forward-looking and work-oriented. But there are still pockets of pessimism and passivity and idle gossiping in the Party. Such trends must be ruthlessly weeded out and Party Committees down to the district level must take the lead in reinforcing the revolutionary proletarian outlook and iron will of the Party. New prospects are opening up before the Party and we can do justice to them if only we delve deep into practice and face the challenge with solid determination and unified understanding with a courage to scale the heights.

Parliamentary pragmatism remains a major ideological and tactical hurdle for the Party to overcome. The problem is more acute at lower levels, especially in panchayats and blocks. Party’s role and practice in the panchayati system needs much closer scrutiny and strict monitoring. If the task of strengthening rural work and unleashing struggles on the basic agenda is taken up in right earnest it can serve as an important ideological-political corrective.

Forthcoming Electoral Battles: We have a series of major electoral battles coming up within the next one year or so. There is a possibility of the next Lok Sabha election being held as early as May 2004. Assembly elections in Andhra are likely to be held in early March and some more states including Orissa and Jharkhand may go in for simultaneous Assembly election along with Lok Sabha election. Concerned State Committees must remain prepared for such an eventuality.

The CC has identified probable constituencies for the next Lok Sabha election. While streamlining our organisational machinery in major constituencies we must also focus on building popular agitations around specific local issues while conducting regular lively propaganda and agitation on burning issues of state/national significance. Our preparatory work for the electoral battle must be directed towards generating enthusiasm and a powerful political assertion of our existing mass base and in bringing them to action for influencing and winning-over all possible friendly forces.

Observe December 18 as Sankalp Diwas (Pledge-taking Day): December 18, 2003 will mark the fifth death anniversary of Comrade Vinod Mishra. All Party Committees must observe the day as Sankalp Diwas linking it with the present situation through seminars, cadre meetings, Party classes etc.

Demand Day Observed in Bihar: Arrest the Killers of Com. Manju Down With Politician-Police-Criminal Nexus

CPI(ML) organised a Demand Day in Bihar on Dec 12 to press upon the state govt. to immediately arrest the killers of Comrade Manju and to make public the report submitted to the govt. by ex-DGP Ojha in connection with Md. Shahabuddin, RJD MP and killer of Comrade Chandrashekhar, and the report of Amir Das Commission regarding political links of Ranvir Sena. Party has also demanded a white paper from the Rabri govt. in Bihar on the politician-police-criminal nexus in the state. Thousands of people in Bihar renewed their pledge to continue their struggle against protected criminals and mafia and to punish the politicians of RJD, Congress and NDA who are protecting killers and criminals like Ranvir Sena and Shahabuddin.

Several protest programmes were held in Patna and other centers. Protest demonstrations, street corner meetings and dharnas were organised throughout the state. In Patna, precessionists led by CPI(ML) State Secretary Ramjatan Sharma, AIPWA Gen. Secretary Kumudini Pati and others held a demonstration and a mass meeting near JP chowk. Speakers in the meetings called upon all left and democratic forces in Bihar to launch a decisive battle against the politician-police-criminal nexus, which is increasingly becoming unbearable for the democratic conscience and the people in Bihar, by mobilising all sections of the people including students and youth, peasants and workers.

Protest programmes were also organised at Jehanabad, Muzaffarpur, Samastipur, Gopalganj, Siwan, Ara, Bihar Sharif, Nawada, Bhagalpur, Darbhanga, Dehri-on-sone, Bhabhua, Dumraon, Chanpatia and many other centres.

The demand to arrest the killers of Comrade Manju was echoed throughout Bihar - north to south and east to west - including the streets of capital Patna. While these protests were being held, CPI(ML) alongwith CPI and CPI(M) MLAs decided to take a joint initiative on these demands inside the Bihar Assembly. CPI(ML) MLAs led by Ramnaresh Ram went on a protest in front of the Speaker and demanded that condolence resolutions must be passed over the killing of women leader Comrade Manju and and killings of Bihari migrant workers in Assam. Rajaram Singh told the house that Com. Manju was murdered in a planned manner by Ranvir Sena when she was conducting a village to village campaign for the preparations of National Conference of AIALA. He also said that murder of Bihari workers in Assam by sectarian regional chauvinist forces must be condemned.

Bihar Pradesh Khet Mazdoor Sabha passed a resolution in its State Executive meeting held at Vaishali in support of these demands. The National Executive meeting of Revolutionary Youth Association also passed a resolution demanding punishment to Shahabuddin and warned of a befitting reply to those who are trying to save this notorious criminal.

Left Parties Call for Bihar Bandh on Jan 7

Seven Left parties in Bihar have called for Bihar Bandh on January 7, 2004 in protest of Rabri-Laloo government's failure on all fronts, it's disastrous economic policies and rampant criminalisation of political system. .

Left parties held a meeting in Patna on Dec 13 where representatives of CPI(ML), CPI, CPI(M), RSP, SUCI and MCPI participated and decided to go for a statewide Bandh on a five-point charter of demands that includes report submitted by the ex-DGP to the government be made public as well as the report of Amir Das Commission enquiring political connections of Ranvir Sena, a white paper by the government on prevailing politician-police-criminal nexus in the state, opening of paddy procurement centers upto block level, and employment to all unemployed and unemployment allowances.

AIPWA Gheraoed Bihar Assembly

Thousands of women held a demonstration and gherao of the Bihar Assembly on the above demands Patna on Dec 15. Massive procession, shouting slogans like 'Shame! Shame! Rabri Devi, Now is the limit, Quit from power' and 'Send to the gallows killers of Comrade Manju', was forcibly stopped by the police at R-block crossing where women protestors held a mass meeting and pledged to carry forward the dream of Comrade Manju and to continue the struggle till her murderers are punished. The meeting was addressed by AIPWA Gen. Sec. Kumudini Pati, Bihar President Saroj Chaube, National Sec. Shashi Yadav and National Secretary of All India Agri. Labour Association Kunti Devi. AIPWA leaders Damayanti Sinha, Malti Devi, Indu Devi, Rita Baranwal, Savitri Devi, Arti Devi, Pramila, Savita, Rina Singh, Urmila Devi, Kalawati Devi, Sushila Devi and Jameela Khatun also addressed the meeting.

The meeting passed resolutions to press for above mentioned demands and also resolved to fight against rising violence against women in Bihar. Meeting also condemned protection given to Ranvir Sena by the MLA from Arwal and Minister of Health for State in Bihar Akhilesh Singh and death threats issued by People's War Group against Comrade Kunti Devi. The dharna also warned state administration to take appropriate action against threats being given to AIPWA Councillor Jameela Khatun by the criminals. It was also demanded from the Bihar State Women's Commission to take cognizance of the case of Com. Manju. Resignation of Rabri Devi has also been demanded by AIPWA for her utter incompetence and failures on all fronts, particularly in protecting women in the state.

BPKS Demands for Special Session of Bihar Assembly

The Bihar Pradesh Kisan Sabha staged a dharna in Patna on Dec 12, the first day of current session of the Assembly, and demanded that a special session of Bihar Assembly be convened to discuss the problems of agricultural development in the state. Speakers in the dharna held both centre's NDA govt. and Bihar's RJD govt. responsible for the sorry plight of agricultural population in Bihar and called for a wider movement to get rid of these anti-people governments. The dharna was addressed by CPI(ML) State Secretary Ramjatan Sharma, ex-MLA Amarnath Yadav, MLA Arun Singh, BPKS Secretary Kumar Anil and others.

OBITUARY

Comrade Ramlakhan Sinha breathed his last on Dec 8 in Patna. He was a veteran of the communist movement and held many important responsibilities in the Party. Born in 1934 in Arwal, he started his political life with the CPI and played important role in the movement of peasants against an increase in irrigation charges. Before he left CPI in 1980, he was active in Kisan Sabha. In 1986 he joined CPI(ML) and remained active till his last despite his prolonged illness. He was suffering from asthma.

Comrade Ramlakhan Sinha took part in a number of movements, during which he faced imprisonment many times, first in 1959, and then in 1965, 69 and 70. He is a source of inspiration for many for his indomitable spirit and an ideal communist character.

CPI(ML) pays its tributes to the departed comrade and expresses its heartfelt grief. Bihar State unit of the Party held a condolence meeting in his memory in Patna on Dec 11 which was attended by a large nember of activists and sympathisers.