Saddam Becomes A Martyr Of Imperialist Resistance

By Karthika Thampan

30 December, 2006
Countercurrents.org

It was at 8.30 AM Indian standard time that Saddam Hussain was executed at Baghdad. Soon the Malayalam TV channels down south in Kerala started flashing the news and the news spread like wild fire. Text messages flew from mobile phones to friends and relatives. Although the news was anticipated from late last night the small south Indian state of Kerala stood in disbelief. And the news slowly sank in. Saddam is no more! Emotionally charged news anchors announced the death, describing his last moments. Some of them even wore small black flags on their coats!

Spontaneously, people gathered in market places and street corners and started out small black flagged demonstrations. People shouted, ‘Long Live Saddam’ and ‘Down With Bush’. It was grief and anger all around.Sensing the mood of the people political parties announced a general shutdown in the afternoon. From 3 PM in the afternoon, all the shops were shut down,streets became empty, vehicles stopped plying,offices became empty. Large demonstrations took to the streets. It was a motley crowd, a strange mix of political ideologies. Perhaps it was the first time in the history of Kerala that communist party members, Indian National Congress party members and Muslim League members demonstrated together. ……………….

Some articles on execution of Saddam

The execution of Saddam Hussein by world socialist web

Statement in Support of Saddam Hussein by Free Arab Voice
Storm rages over Trial, Sentence by Olivia Ward

Saddam to the gallows by Robert Fisk

A poem to president Saddam Hussain by Ziad Shaker elJishi

At the End of My Rope, Hanging With Saddam by Douglas Velentine

Saddam At The End Of A Rope

By Tariq Ali

30 December, 2006

It was symbolic that 2006 ended with a colonial hanging— most of it (bar the last moments) shown on state television in occupied Iraq. It has been that sort of year in the Arab world. After a trial so blatantly rigged that even Human Rights Watch—the largest single unit of the US Human Rights industry— had to condemn it as a total travesty. Judges were changed on Washington’s orders; defense lawyers were killed and the whole procedure resembled a well-orchestrated lynch mob. Where Nuremberg was a more dignified application of victor’s justice, Saddam’s trial has, till now, been the crudest and most grotesque. The Great Thinker President’s reference to it ‘as a milestone on the road to Iraqi democracy’ as clear an indication as any that Washington pressed the trigger.

The contemptible leaders of the European Union, supposedly hostile to capital punishment, were silent, as usual. And while some Shia factions celebrated in Baghdad, the figures published by a fairly independent establishment outfit, the Iraq Centre for Research and Strategic Studies (its self-description: “which attempts to spread the conscious necessity of realizing basic freedoms, consolidating democratic values and foundations of civil society”) reveal that just under 90 per cent of Iraqis feel the situation in the country was better before it was occupied.  …………

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Marx and the Challenges of the 21st Century

Ricardo Alarcón de Quesada

(This speech was delivered by Cuban National Assembly President Ricardo Alarcón de Quesada on May 3, 2006. It was translated by Joe Bryak and Walter Lippmann of Cuba News. This thougtprovoking speech reviews the past expearience of socialism and concentrates on the challanges of the future.We are presenting it here for discussion, however we are not agree with some prepositions suggested by Ricardo Alarcón de Quesada — Editor)

Let us remember that he said that it was not enough that the idea clamored to be made reality, but that it was also necessary that reality shout out to be made into idea. – Franz Mehring

I will not attempt to delineate here the ample and rich intellectual production of Karl Marx, his deep analysis of capitalism or the principal events of his era, nor will I touch upon his exemplary life as a social fighter and revolutionary leader. I know that these themes are familiar to you all.

I propose, if you allow me, to separate Marx from Marxism. With that I allude to the necessity of thinking of Marx as Marx, rather than from any of the versions of Marxism, to imagine him declaring the challenges of the 21st century, separating what is essential of his work from what others made of his work. Instead of embarking on the endless succession of reviews of his thinking that goes along with those who have claimed him as their own, as well as with those who have tried unsuccessfully to bury him, it is necessary to rescue his fundamental legacy, that which makes him transcend his era to be with us here and now in the struggle for human emancipation.

I take as a starting point the warning, not always heeded, of Rosa Luxemburg:

The work Capital of Marx, like all his ideology, is not gospel in which we are given revealed truth, set in stone and eternal, but an endless flow of suggestions to keep working on with intelligence, in order to continue researching and struggling for truth. …………………..

SEDITION-ORISSA STYLE

The film “Lal Salam” has not been allowed to be shown in Orissa because its story is supposed to be regarding maoist activities even though it has been produced by a professional film maker and certified by the Censor board. Cast in the film includes renowned actress Nandita Das &others. Exhibiting this picture attracts the offence of “sedition” for which six Kui tribal cultural activists of Adva under Gajpati district of Orissa were sent to jail on 23rd Sept 2006.

The Orissa police along with a section of CRPF seized a number of
revolutionary booklets, notes and songs on Charu Majumdar and
Kalinganagar issue, video CDs of “Lal Salam” film from the Kui cultural activists. The police also seized traditional musical instruments like Khanjani, Ghungura etc to substantiate the allegation of sedition under 124-A IPC. Two female activists aged about 18-20 also include the group who went to jail and are still in jail.

AS per the FIR story which was lodged by the police itself the police and CRPF surrounded a tribal village on 22nd Sept at night and apprehended six Kui tribals who were performing cultural programme by singing , dancing and exhibiting the film “Lal Salam”

It is said by the police that the film is on the maoist activities,
which is a banned organisation as declared under the Criminal Law
Amendment Act-1908. Besides, the offence “sedition”, the police has also implicated the cultural activists u/s -17 (2) of the above Act. The police paper speaks that Dasuram Majhi @ Pangi is the leader of cultural team who fled the spot.

The Criminal Law Amendment Act was enacted during British colonial rule,the operative provisions of which were declared void by the full bench decision of Madras High Court and Constitution Bench of Supreme Court (A.I.R. 1952 S.C. 149).The allegation of “sedition” against the Kui cultural activists which was showing the film once again reminds the Constituent Assembly debate on “sedition” wherein K.M. Munshi pointed out “the word sedition has been a word of varying import and has created considerable doubt in the minds of not only the members the House but of courts of law all over the world. On the notorious section – 124 A of Penal Code (is still in force) he further pointed out that It “was ometimes construed so widely that I remember in a case, criticism of District magistrate was urged to be covered by section – 124 A”. Due
to objection from the members of different quarters the provision for “sedition” was dropped from the constitution. But, confirming the apprehensions of the framers of constitution this provision in the Penal Code is rampantly abused by the law enforcers to silence the voice of opposition.

Freedom of speech, ex-pression, thought etc. are the basic rights should be made available to all individuals under the democratic principles. …………….

How long will tribals be killed

How long will innocent Tribals be killed in the name of Naxalite by the Indian Army and Chhattisgarh Police…..

 

Only yesterday 25/12/06 both Maharastra Police and Chhattisgarh Police were taking pride in killing 4 youths near Gadhchiroli in the name of naxalites and seizing Telivision,Generator etc from them and now when the truth has come out that the youths killed in the name of Naxalite were innocent Tribals who were on the way to return rented T.V and Generator which they had brought to their village to watch movies the Chhattisgarh Police Chief and Army has put the blame completely on Maharastra Police.

Are we living in a civilized society?

Everyday innocent Tribals as young as 12 years are falling victim to the atrocities of Naga,Mizo and other forces patrolling the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh.

Yesterday in Village Chitoor near Sukma in Bastar region soldiers from the Mizo forces misbehaved with the Tribal women and there is huge protest against the Army.Infact today the people of Chitoor have called for Strike against the inhuman acts being committed by the Naga and Mizo Forces in these regions.

CM Raman Singh and DGP O.P Rathore have assured action against the culprits but the fact remains that are these people with power really want justice to prevail in Bastar?I doubt the honesty of the Politicians and the Beaureaucrates since they are playing in the hands of Industrial houses like Tata,Essar,Iffco and others whose sole aim is to drive the Tribals from bastar region so that they can enjoy the mineral reserve available in the Tribal areas.

Where is the main stream media and press who claim to bring truth and justice in front of the whole world?????

Regards

Prabhat

Reports and Articles on Singur

Singur Under Siege:A report

BACKGROUND OF SINGUR

A Comprehensive survey report from sanhiti

MASUM’s Report On Gross Human Right Violations

che

Special Economic Zones — Colonization in a new form

Rashmi

“We will commit hatya, not atmahatya, like the Vidharbha farmers”,says Jaywant Madhvi of Vashi village in Pen taluk in Raigad district, just outside Mumbai. The context is land acquisition notices being served to farmers for the 35,000 acre (14,000 ha) SEZ being developed by Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Limited (RIL). On 15th August, a gram sabha was held in the Kalabusre village of the Uran taluka of the same district. This sabha was attended by over a 100 people and passed a resolution against the proposed MSEZ( Mumbai SEZ). This SEZ would be one of the largest in the country and one-third the size of the metropolis. The company and the local officials claim it is all ‘unproductive’ land whereas according to the villagers, they are twice blessed with very rich soil for rice and the sea for fishing. Says a farmer in one of the villages, “we don’t want jobs in any factory. We have our land, our trees and the sea to keep our stomachs full.”The question posed by the 1200 farmers, facing take over of their lands and displacement is that why does’nt the government develop SAZ (Special Agricultural Zones) instead of SEZs?According to informed sources, Reliance plans to convert these fields into expensive real estate, and the overnment seems to be acting as its broker, forcibly acquiring land at a pittance and handing it over to RIL to sell to businesses in the SEZ. It will be a satellite city in prime location close to the major highways, ports and site for the new international airport.Besides the 45 villages that are to be acquired, Reliance has been buying up agricultural land at cheap rates anticipating an increase in the land value in the area once the SEZ comes through. The records of the government estimate the value of the land at around 1.7 lakhs to 2.5 lakhs an acre. Reliance has been trying to buy the land at 3 to 4 lakh rupees an acre. And the market rate, depending on the quality and the location is anywhere between 20 and 40 lakhs rupees an acre now! A bridge connecting Navi Mumbai and Central Mumbai is also proposed and Reliance is one of the bidders to build up the bridge!Across Maharashtra, farmers have organized huge protests against the forcible acquisitions for this SEZ.Anil Ambani’s Reliance has also sparked a similar controversy. The acquisition of 2,500 acres of agricultural land by the UP government for the Reliance power project at Dadri (near Delhi) for Reliance Power led to massive protests by the farmers. V.P.Singh himself has chosen to spearhead the protests. The Mulayam Singh government is accused of giving a subsidy of 60% on the land prices i.e. 60% of the land price will be paid by the stategovernment and the rest by the Reliance group. Of the total land being acquired for this SEZ, 400 acres belong to the Gram Sabha for playground, school, community purposes etc. This 400 acres has been doled away to Reliance at Rs 100 per square yard for a lease of 99 years while the remaining 21,000 acres has been taken at the rate of Rs 150 per square yard. interestingly, the Mulayam Singh government had offered 25,000 acres of land to Reliance and even acquired some for it, even though this project had not even come up for approval before the Board of Approvals……….

to read complete article please sea thhe december issue of peoplesmarch by clicking the link given below-

http://parisar.files.wordpress.com/2006/12/dec2006.pdf