Voice of the International African Revolution! - Uhuru News

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26 THE BURNING SPEAR April 2003 Continued from previous page response to the violence of imperialism as violence equal to what the imperialists are doing. The struggles in Colombia now are characterized as being waged by terrorists, and that is "violent." The Palestinians are being massacred on a daily basis. Just over the last week, maybe 40 or more Palestinians have been murdered. Their response is "violence." Then you have the "good violence" versus the "bad violence." The "good violence" is violence by the U.S. and its allies. The "bad violence" is committed by anybody who is opposed to that. Therefore, I’m concerned about the peace movement. I am truly, truly concerned about a peace movement that will validate the policy of the U.S. government, which is fighting against "terrorism" and "violence." The thing that disturbs me is that less than 44 percent of Africans are for this war. In this country, Africans are the largest group of people opposed to the war, but Africans don’t participate in the peace movement. The Africans can’t participate in the peace movement because the peace movement doesn’t recognize the war that’s being made against the Africans. The peace movement calls on everybody to fight for peace for white people. It will not include on its agenda the attack that’s happened to Africans, Indians and other people in this country. In fact, the Quakers have said Opinion continued from page 12 the people of Iraq — not only Saddam and his supporters — see the war directed at them. Contrary to the Iraqi exile opinion, it looks that even if Saddam falls, the resistance might outlive him. The native tactics might test the power of the microwave bombs, the bunkerbusters, oxygen-depleting bombs and other B-52 bearing cruise missiles. It is looking more and more that way. I read a report that when Iraqi people see dollars, they will side with the invading force. Such lies and contempt directed at a basically nationalist-patriotic people can be very self-deceiving. The people may take the dollars and sweets and continue to fight the invaders. Has that occurred to the invaders who think dollar power will neutralize what seems a self-motivated, spirited and determined resistance? Most of the leadership of the Arab Socialist Party of Iraq has been weaned in Cairo University under the Arab nationalist leadership of Gamal Abdel Nasser. Saddam graduated from Cairo University in the ‘60s. His main political content has been Arab nationalism even when he fought the Kurds and the Mullahs of Iran — the latter not being Arab! The defining content of nationalism is to try to use the resources of a country first and foremost to develop that people. Saddam and his followers may have shown cruel and deceitful conduct, but they are above all Arab nationalists. Saddam would probably be seen and hailed as an This contradiction between oppressed and oppressor nations is really busting wide open... You see they’re not occupying France. The war is happening in all these other places where people have been living under colonial domination all this time. They’re trying to stick people back in that situation. that they don’t even want to participate in the anti-war movement that we helped to build because it was taking up too many causes of Indians and black people. We don’t live in peace. We don’t have any peace in our communities. We are opposed to the war because we are witnesses to what the American war is all about right here, where the movement that is supposed to be for peace won’t open the Arab (even Muslim) leader at the grassroots level in the Arab world. If this war becomes drawn out and long — dead or alive — he will be immortalized in the Arab world and perhaps even in the Muslim world. The World is too silent! An old civilization is being razed to the ground and no one is rushing to put a stop to this madness. The UN is mute. China, Russia, France and Germany make meek statements. The Arab League makes banal remarks while Qatar's foreign minister walks out. The African Union has uttered hardly a murmer or blib. The world must not see Iraq burn like hell. The images we see are deeply disturbing and the scar they leave will not be healed for generations. We must try to be resourceful and try to save lives — on all sides. As the soldiers displayed as P.O.W.s from the USA show that they are from ordinary families why should they die too? The African-American father who waved the picture of his killed sonsoldier in the war to the world media demanded to Bush that he be held responsible for taking his only son's life. That was a display as heartrending as it is symbolic of all those soldiers who may die for the simple reason of being in Iraq — not because they know anything or care about the Iraqis, but because they are doing a 'job.' Moreover, as one of the captured POWs said, "They are there because they have to follow orders." Anarchy above international law What can be done to prevent the door to allow African people to participate. This contradiction between oppressed and oppressor nations is really busting wide open. That’s what September 11 seems to have been about. That’s what Afghanistan is about. That’s what Iraq is about. That’s what Colombia is about. That’s what the Philippines are about. You see they’re not occupying France. The war is happening in all these other places where people have been living under colonial domination all this time. They’re trying to stick people back in that situation. Inside this country, the so-called peace movements reflect imperial assumptions as they relate to oppressed peoples. They assume that black people should not come in and mess up their damn peace movement. They have a nice peace movement and here’s Omali. They say, "Every time Omali talks, he’s talking about oppression and imperialism and we just want it to stop." Do you understand? That’s what’s happening. Here’s Sheridan from the American Indian Movement talking about what’s happening on the reservations and they just want the discussion to stop. It’s happening even with folk who are being redbaited, like A.N.S.W.E.R. They are being redbaited, yet they’re trying to stop us from speaking out. They say they want to save the people, then bomb them and their country to save them. After their conduct of destruction, they want to show them compassion by inviting ruthless U.S. corporations, government development agencies and NGOs to reconstruct their society and provide them food and medicine. Driving force in history is national liberation It’s an incredible, volatile situation, but it’s one that can bode well. The fundamental problem is all the millions of people who are out there in opposition to what the Bush regime is attempting to do. People are opposed to imperialism, but the fundamental contradiction is the lack of organization. There is no evidence of revolutionary organization. People need organization. Even with the Soviet Union being the opportunistic entity that it was, it was significant because it gave ideological grounding for many forces throughout the whole world. The contradiction in this world that’s going to be kicking everybody in the teeth is that oppressed peoples everywhere, including the black communities and Barrios in the cities and communities where you live, are moving forward and are no longer going to live like this. That’s what’s defining the historical trajectory that we’re moving along today. Bush is trying to stop history. That will not work. I think what revolutionaries struggle to do is to understand the historical trajectories and join them to facilitate the birth of a completely new kind of social system. That in the final analysis is what we’re fighting for. People have to choose sides. The driving force in history is national liberation. There’s a real attempt to re-colonize the world directly under white power. I believe everything they do will deepen this crisis as opposed to lessening it for them. That’s the world as we see it. BUSH-BLAIR mad rush to destroy Iraq under the guise of changing its government? What kind of world are they wishing to create? Tomorrow, a small country can go charge its neighbor to bring about regime change and can point to the Blair-Bush doctrine of pre-emptive strike to bring change. And if this country appears to be endowed with some rich minerals that the big powers desire, they will use that as a pretext to get involved and bombard hapless populations. This is a neat formula for spreading world anarchy. Ironically, this comes from the power that wants — or says it wishes — to police the world and create stability and security for the 21st century. How can this power create security and order if it is seen as an outlaw and contemptuous of the international institutions and international law? This is a formula for a security disorder for the 21st century, not a new world order. Charity after the festival of violence and willful destruction Organized hypocrisy characterizes imperial politics and human rights. Imperial power self-arrogates the power to dictate the terms of any engagement. If opposed, it collects a number of disparate countries and goes to enforce its own actions against the will of the world and international law. It camouflages its own action under the euphemism of a constructed "coalition." There is not only violence against people, but truth is dead and language itself is casualized — having been used and turned into fraud and deception. Ethics is thrown out of the window. The overriding animal instinct to win war dictates how the war is reported, played out, even thought about. It is not a command and control of the physical battle. It is a command and control of everything. It is Continued on next page African People’s Socialist Party
April 2003 THE BURNING SPEAR 27 Continued from previous page a nightmare when truth is turned into falsehood, information becomes disinformation, P.O.W.s are pawns in the war game and war dictates life. The idea of destroying a country and summoning U.S. private companies, governments and Non-governmental organizations (NGO) as angels of mercy is the most hypocritical turn of this whole sordid episode. It reminds me of a story about a 19th century Russian noblewoman who went to an opera and kept weeping while watching the opera, and even after she came out of the opera, at the death of a Russian poor peasant. She kept weeping and when she came out of the opera her footman was frozen to death staying where he had been ordered to stay — outside suffering from the freezing severe Russian cold winter weather. She became angry at the inconvenience she faced by his death. Her compassion for the Russian peasant, borne by her weeping, was betrayed by her conduct! Not wishing to have any inconvenience. As long as her privileges are not touched she can afford to show compassion. As soon as the privilege is affected, her conduct submerges her compassion. The military destroyers of Iraq are like this Russian noblewoman. They say they want to save the people, then bomb them and their country to save them. After their conduct of destruction, they want to show them compassion by inviting ruthless U.S. corporations, government development agencies and NGOs to reconstruct their society and provide them food and medicine. Why is it necessary to be emboldened in the first place with the conduct of destruction and wish to sanitize the effect of the willful and deliberate destruction with a false compassion? Destruction first, construction after. Why not construction ever so that ones conduct and compassion flow together! Blood and tears in Iraq are flowing like rivers and there is not enough protest to stop this orgy of violence. The protest must be total and worldwide. It must be made to bite for the sake of the Iraqi people and the U.S. and British soldiers that are in harm’s way. The protest must continue The protest must continue to stop this war that will no doubt generate deep hatred and is spreading miscommunication across religions, nations and population groups. It is time to overcome barbarism and promote civilization, control anarchy and stand for legality, uphold morality and reject moral blindness, be counted for justice by fighting injustice, and oppose forcedetermination and support self-determination. I weep for my divided country whose very division has forced it to side with arrogant imperial power. I do this as I continue to march and oppose the Blair-Bush projection of destructive(!) and retributive violence against Iraq as a country and people. For that matter, I do not wish any country to be humiliated, in the way Iraq has been, for the "sins" of its leaders. Let that people cleanse the sins of their leaders or remove them. Others cannot bomb democracy into An Iraqi man carries a child after a U.S. massacre of more civilians. being. The world deserves better than gunboat diplomacy or democracy. It is the people and the people alone of that particular place (Iraq in this case!) who must be in charge of their own destiny. This is an important matter of principle that brooks no trespassing. As Thomas Jefferson said, "In matters of principle stand like a rock. In matters of taste swim with the current." War and peace are issues of principle and not taste. Africa must stand united against the arrogant concept of forced regime change. Africa must say no to gun boat democracy. The African Union must express an African will of opposition to the invasion of Iraq. The African Union has to oppose arrogant power coming any where and directed at any people. Africa should demand national liberation and support the Arab people Africa must stand on the side of the national aspiration of the Iraqi people. If Africans allow this vast injustice and criminal bombardment to go unopposed, tomorrow their turn will come. It is thus vital that they stand for principle and reject temptations to side with invasion, aggression, occupation and externally-forced regime change. These are matters of principle. Africa's own history and experience demands that Africa takes a stand. 1. On matters of peace and war, we demand that Africa learn to speak with one voice. 2. African countries that overtly and covertly joined the so-called coalition of the willing should withdraw from it. 3. Africans must demand an immediate ceasefire now. The U.S.- The world deserves better than gunboat diplomacy or democracy. It is the people and the people alone of that particular place (Iraq in this case!) who must be in charge of their own destiny. British forces should withdraw unconditionally and immediately from Iraq! 4. The idea of regime change by military means is wrong in principle and cannot produce a regime that the population can respect. 5. Africa must oppose the concept of regime change and the military strikes to bring it about. Gunboat democracy is neither democracy nor liberation. It is colonialism and a modern form of conquest that exposes a population to needless humanitarian catastrophe. 6. Africa must join forces with all the forces that support international law. 7. Africa must actively seek to support actions to bring to international justice the war criminals. 8. Africa's eminent lawyers must volunteer to prepare to prosecute war crimes committed by the invading powers. 9. Africans must support Iraqi civilians in any way they can. 10. The citizens of Africa must demonstrate, petition and do everything possible to make all the governments of Africa and the African Union condemn this war against Iraq as illegal, illegitimate and immoral. Africa must stand for national liberation, not national humiliation. It must stand for national independence not re-colonization in this day and age. Africa must stand for justice and oppose an imperialist war for the resources and control of the Arab world. If Africa does not stand on the side of the Arab nation, it will have shown a moral and political blindness that will haunt it for generations. It is time for Africans to show strength by fighting the last frontier of their damnation, confronting head on their false decolonization to manifest a true decolonization. Iraq is now a litmus test to show progress in attenuating the false decolonization of the African and Arab mind. The innocent blood of Iraq may yet lead to the sprouting of the Arab nation. At this historical moment, Africa should stand side by side with the Iraqi people and country. Where there is no love, there is hate, enmity, enemy and war An American friend sent me this thought and it is a good way to end my remarks: Where there is love, there is no hate. Where there is no hate, there is no enmity. Where there is no enmity, there is no enemy. Where there is no enemy, there is no war! I write this as one who is deeply affected by this war. It is difficult to carry out normal life when the images of disorientated children, wounded and dead people hit one everyday. I must confess I find the provision of this unwanted image an indictment to civilization. The 21st century should have been different. It has become a throwback to the carnages of the previous world wars. Therefore, those who see it as their birthright to lead this world are dramatic failures. They should have guided the planet not to war, massive waste and colonization, but to peace, justice and prosperity. The current war is proof they have failed, as they are morally feeble and greedy. Our planet should be governed with the expression of many voices — not only U.S. and British, but also Arab, African, Indian, Chinese, Latin American and European voices. We need a multi-polar not a uni-polar, a multilateral and not unilateral, a negotiating or dialogue- seeking and not warspreading world. We need U.S.-British humility and not arrogance to create order in this world. Let us hope the current blood and tears of Iraq end up watering the birth of a just, equitable and tolerant world. From this great tragedy, let there be hope and victory for the wretched of the earth. About the author: Mammo Muchie is an activist and university lecturer who has been marching against imperialist wars against Indochina, Africa and now Arabia. He says of himself, "As a scholar activist engaged in contributing knowledge to the creation of the African nation, I shall be working on African integration and ways to institutionally participate in grass roots organizing for African national liberation." African People’s Socialist Party
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