Rally the Indian People to Oppose US War against Afghanistan

Support Afghan people’s struggle against US Aggression

Intensify Struggle to Quit WTO and against Another Round of WTO Negotiations

Oppose NDA Govt.’s Attempts to Communalize War Protests and Unleash Fascist Repression

(We are here publishing the statement issued by the Politburo of the Central Committee of CPI(ML)–New Democracy on November 1, 2001.     – Editor)

For nearly four weeks air forces of USA and UK are raining death and destruction over the people of Afghanistan. In this campaign they have hit children’s nurseries, disabled’s homes, hospitals, residential areas, religious places, dams and people at large. Thousands of innocent Afghans whose blood was as thick as of those who had fallen victims to the attacks on September 11th, have perished in this US war of extermination. No words are sufficient to condemn this inhuman barbarity and the irony to that all this is being done in the name of “Enduring freedom”. Savage attacks on Afghanistan have once again proved that US imperialist rulers are the worst terrorists in the world.

We had condemned the terrorist attacks on WTC towers, for these attacks had targeted the civilian people. We had been criticizing the reactionary policies of Taliban in Afghanistan and of the rulers in other countries. Religious fundamentalists of all hues pursue socially reactionary policies, restrict the sweep of anti-imperialist mobilization of people and have often been instruments in the hands of imperialist powers. We should differentiate between use of religious symbols in the struggle against imperialism and religious fundamentalism whose targets are internal forces, generally progressive forces. However, we firmly believe that it is the right of Afghan people to choose or change their rulers and no outside force with whatever declared objectives has any right to commit military aggression. We cannot forget how the British colonialists had for long sought to justify their occupation of India as a mission to ‘civilize’ Indians and how this ‘white man’s burden’ had heaped untold miseries and burdens on their colonial subjects.

Besides the air-strikes, US has stationed troops on the territory of Afghanistan in blatant violation of international law and institutions. They are trying to establish their military bases in Afghanistan and neighbouring countries in the name of fighting global terrorism. Through this military aggression US imperialists seek to achieve their strategic objective of controlling Central Asia and South Asia besides further encircling Russia and China. Their military bases in and around Afghanistan will help them to further curtail Russian influence to south and also bring them in touch with Chinese minorities in the western part. Their control of Central Asia will make them masters of Caspian oil and oil routes while their control of South Asia will make them masters of one of the biggest potential markets and natural resources-rich regions of the world.

Let it be clear that it is not the pursuit of Osama bin Laden or a desire to finish ‘global terrorism’ that has brought US forces to this region. It is the pursuit of world hegemony that has brought them here. US has given world public opinion no proof whatsoever of the involvement of any foreign Govt. or organization, Taliban or Al Qaeda of Osama bin Laden included.

US designs in Afghanistan pose a grave danger to the countries of the region, particularly to India. With US forces near our border, US ability to threaten or directly intervene in our country will increase enormously. Even otherwise Indian rulers remain at their beck and calls with their forces in the region, the danger of Indian rulers compromising whatever is there of our sovereignty will increase manifold. It is indeed condemnable that rulers of both India and Pakistan are kneeling before the US Admn. and are trying to justify their abject surrender in the name of securing US support against each other.

Ever since September 11th, Indian Govt. has been over enthusiastic about its support to US war against Afghanistan and had offered use of air bases and facilities to US. It has given refuelling facilities to the fighter planes of US and UK and is one of the main supporters and helpers of Northern Alliance in Afghanistan. In utter disregard of the national interests, it is welcoming stationing of US troops in the region. Indian rulers are trying their utmost to utilize the present situation to crush the struggle of the Kashmiri people. Continuing struggle of the Kashmiri people despite developments in Afghanistan and Pakistan and widespread protests against US aggression in Afghanistan and Pakistan’s military Govt.’s acquiescence in it, has given a lie to their propaganda that struggle in Kashmir is being conducted by Taliban and the military-men of Pakistan.

Indian Govt. is making despicable attempts to communalize protests against war. In order to serve its US masters, it is trying to portray the US war to be in India’s interests and protests against war as solely Muslim reaction. Activists of Sangh Parivar are coming out in open support of US imperialists. Their ban on SIMI, crushing of protests against war and clashing with protesters in Malegaon, Gonda and other places amply prove their nefarious designs. It should surprise none as their communal pseudo-patriotism has always been in the service of foreign powers beginning with British colonial rulers in the country.

NDA Govt. has also been using the present situation to unleash fascist repression on the people. It has promulgated POTO against the public opinion and the views of opposition parties. Protests against war are being suppressed with all measures including firing, arrests and detentions. Repression on the people's movements has been intensified.

US war against Afghanistan symbolizes sharpening of the contradiction between imperialism and third world countries. US Admn. is openly saying that it has a right to attack any country it chooses. They are also planning to attack Iraq and other countries. Other imperialist powers are also helping USA in attacking third world countries while pursuing attempts to carve out their spheres of influence. While other imperialist countries and China are supporting US’s “new war” their contradictions are centred around formation of new govt. to be installed in Afghanistan. Some of them are advocating political solution and not a military one. Afghan people have every right to defend themselves and their struggle against US aggression deserves full support from all the peace and justice loving people of the world.

In the garb of ‘fighting terrorism’, imperialist powers are trying to force another round of WTO negotiations on third world countries for further opening up their economies for imperialist loot and plunder. Opening of service sectors, agriculture and furthering lowering of tariffs are on the agenda. In the name of stalling global recession, call to support economies of US and other imperialist countries are being given while third world economies are to be further devastated. US and other imperialists are trying to crush protests of the world people against imperialist globalization and WTO under the garb of fighting ‘terrorism’.

 Besides intensifying their attacks on third world countries, further attacks have been launched on the workers in imperialist countries in the wake of September 11th attacks. Over 1 lakh workers of airlines have been thrown out of job.

There has been widespread and welcome protests against US aggression against Afghanistan. Third world countries including Arab countries have witnessed huge protests while big demonstrations against war have been organized in western capitalist countries as well. People of Pakistan are waging militant protests against their Govt.’s caving in before the US imperialists and becoming part of the US war against their neighbour. Arabs and Muslims are particularly angry against US imperialism as they have been subjected to crude exploitation and ruthless suppression by US imperialism and its cronies. Comprador rulers in different countries are supporting US led war and suppressing the people’s protests. These rulers are standing on the side of imperialism and against the world people and people of their own countries.

Indian people must understand the danger posed by the US stationing of troops in the region and the new round of WTO. They must frustrate the BJP-RSS attempts to communalize the protests against the war and to unleash fascist repression in the name of fighting ‘terrorism’.

CPI(ML)-New Democracy calls upon all patriotic and democratic forces, all political parties and mass organizations opposed to US war against Afghanistan and US troops in the region to build a broad-based struggle against NDA Govt.’s attempt to drag India into war and support US imperialism, to communalize the question of war and to unleash repression on people’s movements. We also appeal to all patriotic and democratic personages to lend their support to growing opposition in India against US war against Afghanistan.

Against this criminal US war against the people of Afghanistan, against NDA Govt.’s attempt to communalize this war and unleash fascist repression; and increasing the burden on the people of India and other third world countries through WTO, CPI(ML)-New Democracy is organizing a massive protest in Delhi on November 29, 2001. We call upon to the people to participate in the rally in large numbers.

US imperialism says that its war is going to be a long one and so must be the resistance against the US war. All attempts in history to establish world hegemony have failed and US attempt too is doomed to failure.