END THE OCCUPATION OF IRAQ, NOW!

March to American Centre Demands in Delhi

Hundreds of people marched to the American Centre in the heart of New Delhi on March 20 demanding the US to get out of Iraq immediately. It was on this day last year that the US and UK had illegally and immorally invaded Iraq disregarding worldwide opposition.

The march in New Delhi on Saturday was part of the Global Day of Action demanding an end to the occupation of Iraq. There are reports that similar rallies, protest meetings were held in major cities across our country.

Leaders of Left parties, women’s organisations, trade unions, student and youth organisations and others led the march, which began at Mandi House. Among those leading it were Prakash Karat and Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M), D Raja and Amarjeet Kaur (CPI), Devarajan (Forward Block), Ardhendu Dakhi (CITU), CPI(ML) leaders, All India Peace and Solidarity Organisation members and others. The participants came from all walks of life – activists, intellectuals, workers, women, students, youth. There was a sprinkling of foreign nationals also in the march. Many held placards denouncing US aggression and demanding it get out of Iraq. Loud slogans of “Long Live Iraqi Liberation Struggle”, “Imperialist Aggressors Quit Iraq Now.”

As the march reached Kasturba Gandhi Marg, where the American Centre is situated, heavy police contingents barricaded the road. After spirited raising of slogans, the march was converted into a public meeting. A few songs were rendered lampooning US imperialism and exposing its hypocritical lies on Iraq. There was a slight commotion in the gathering when “Bush” and “Blair” made an appearance in the crowd and began moving around, with an armed bodyguard in tow. They were actually two Jana Natya Manch activists who wore huge masks of these war criminals and moved around in the crowd.

In the end, activist Sayeeda Hamid, read out a statement on behalf of the “Citizens Against War and Occupation”. While exposing the US lies, particularly its claims on WMDs and Saddam regimes links with Al Qaeda, the statement noted the huge sufferings imposed by the US on the people of Iraq. Even before the war, the US-led sanctions since 1991 had killed some 15 lakh Iraqis, including over 5 lakh children. It pointed out the larger goals of US imperialism in its actions in Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine. “US imperialist forces want to dominate West and Central Asia geo-politically by setting up weak and regressive puppet regimes and permanent military bases so as to maintain control over the region’s oil and gas reserves”, noted the statement.

The statement blasted the Vajpayee government for endorsing the occupation of Iraq by not exerting any pressure for US withdrawal and for seeking a share of the “reconstruction” contracts the US was promising. It also crticised the government for disregarding the time-tested policy of support to the Palestinian cause and entering into the Indo-US-Israel unholy nexus.

The statement called for an immediate end to the occupation of Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine with full reparation to their peoples. It said no constitution or governmental system set up under occupation be considered valid. It also demanded revocation of all contracts given by the occupying powers and their puppets in Iraq.