People's Democracy

SAYING NO TO WAR ON IRAQ 

A VIRTUAL flood of posters with a variety of messages, the central message being “No To War On Iraq!” Caricatures of Bush with a pocket version of a puppy. Reminders of the children maimed, deformed or killed by the previous war on Iraq. And graphics of the evil consequences of the US-UK-dictated UN sanctions on Iraq.

It was indeed a rally with a difference. The rally took place in the capital on February 10, at the call of the Committee Against War On Iraq, to protest against the US of America’s proposed or threatened war on Iraq. An estimated ten thousand people from all walks of life joined the protest march from Mandi House to the American Centre at Kasturba Gandhi Marg. Chanting March Forward, March Forward, the protesters were carrying banners and placards condemning US aggression and demanding No War On Iraq! After a police cordon stopped the marchers at Tolstoy Marg, close to the US Information Centre, and prevented them from proceeding towards the centre, a public protest meeting was held on the spot.

The marchers varied from very old to young ones, from school kids to university students and teachers, those from factories to those from fields --- interspersed with the Delhi artists including some very renowned ones. Small groups sang songs of peace and freedom, while some remembered previous such marches, most conceding that this was a better and more colourful rally than those that took place in recent times on the question of war. An Arab student on India’s tour recalled the words of Martin Luther King: “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” There were other poignant reminders as some of the marchers sang Paul Robeson’s We Shall Overcome in a variety of languages and some others sang the Youth Internationale, with some stray voices singing “Blowing in the Wind.”

An aged lawyer argued with friends how the spirit of the UN charter on the scourge of war was being violated, while another chanted slogans.

Addressing the militant gathering, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Prakash Karat said: “The United States of America is going to attack Iraq not to save humanity, as it claims. By doing so, it is threatening the entire world. It is not the question of Iraq now. It is the question of the sovereignty of all developing countries.”

Karat also recalled: “During the 1991 war, the US and its allies bombarded Iraq for 43 days, making 1,09,876 sorties, dropping 88,500 tonnes of bombs. It is beyond imagination that destructive weapons are still there. As such, UNSCOM should be withdrawn immediately and unconditionally.”

The CPI(M) leader said while the Indian government was earlier fence-sitting, public pressure has now made it take some stand. However, its stand is still very mild. Recalling India’s role in mobilising the third world in earlier days, he lamented that the present regime was abdicating its responsibility. Talking about the heavy toll the sanctions against Iraq have taken since 1991, he said they had led to the killing of more than ten lakh people including half a million of infants. In case of a war, the government of India must not let the United States use our land, sky or waters, Karat demanded.

The CPI’s national secretary D Raja cautioned that after Iraq, the US could target Iran and Pakistan, after which it could even be India. He said another war would bring more miseries for innocent Iraqis who were already suffering due to harsh economic sanctions. Global public opinion is overwhelmingly against the US’s planned war on Iraq, Raja added.

A variety of leaders from various political parties and organisations, who are represented in the broadbased Committee Against War On Iraq, addressed the demonstration. They demanded that the United States and Britain stop war preparations against Iraq. They also called upon the Indian government to speak out firmly against the war and mobilise other countries to check the American plans.

Posing the question why the US is after all hell bent on invading Iraq, the speakers said the real purpose is to control Iraq’s oil reserves and advance the US interests in the Middle East region. Plans have already been made to replace Saddam Hussein with a pliant regime, they said.

Terming the Vajpayee government’s statement opposing the war as mild, they demanded more categorical steps from it, like declaring that the United States would not be allowed to use any facilities in India for its war efforts. The meeting declared solidarity with the Iraqi people and decided to continue the anti-war movement even more vigorously.

Apart from Prakash Karat and D Raja, other speakers included Kunwar Danish Ali (JD-S), Mehmood Madani (Jamaat-e-Ulema Hind), Swapan Mukherjee (CPI-ML), Udit Raj (Justice Party), Nirmala Deshpande (Gandhian), Abani Roy (RSP), Devarajan (FB), Syed Shahabuddin (All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat), Matin Chaudhari and Sohaib Iqbal (Delhi MLAs).

In the protest march and the meeting, clearly conspicuous were a large number of students from the various universities in Delhi, teachers, industrial workers, women, employees and prominent intellectuals. They were shouting slogans Amriki Samrajyavad Murdabad! (Down With American Imperialism!) and Amriki Dadagiri Nahin Chalegi! (US Gangsterism Won’t Work).

From the rally, a signature campaign was also launched, and people from all walks of life joined the protesters in signing the statement, in the background of a banner which read: “George Bush, Hands Off Iraq!” But there were other banners too, like ---

“Protest Now, Or Perish!”

“Bush And Blair, Shame, Shame!”

“Why No UN Inspectors For UK And US!”

“No War For Oil!”

Such banners were found from the head to the tail of the procession.

However, many who came for the demonstration were stopped much before they could reach the spot from where the protest march was scheduled to start, and bitterly complained about it. Some others waited near the US Information Centre too, in a somewhat militant mood.

Another rally is likely next week too. (INN)