• War between India and Pakistan is against the interests of the peoples!
  Fight for peace in South Asia!

• We deeply mourn the passing away of Comrade João Amazonas

• Imperialist geo-politics endangers the peoples of South Asia

• Political crisis in Nepal

• Condemn the terrorist killing of Hurriyat leader Abdul Ghani Lone

• Privatisation of IPCL strengthens monopoly
  position of Reliance group

• Census data reveals further marginalisation of workers and proletarianisation of peasants

• Bourgeois "reforms" constitute severe attacks on farmers livelihood

• Problems faced by adivasis of Kerala

• Lok Awaz Publishers and Distributors

• Message of Condolence of the Central Committee of the Communist Ghadar Party of India

• Communists and Brazil are on mourning

War between India and Pakistan is against the interests of the peoples!

Fight for peace in South Asia!

It is extremely important that India’s workers and peasants in particular, and all the peoples of South Asia in general, assess the politics of terrorism in a cool and calm manner and not fall for provocations. There is need to assess what is behind the terrorist killings in the subcontinent, who are the forces behind them, and what their aims are. There is need to assess who is benefiting from the war preparations and war hysteria as well as from the "peace diplomacy".

The aim of the Kaluchak massacre was to provoke the Indian Armed forces. Its aim was to facilitate the further whipping up of war hysteria. Things and phenomenon are revealing that the Indian government, the Pakistan government, as well as the Anglo-American imperialists—all have their axe to grind in this situation.

The rulers of India and Pakistan have greatly benefited by the Kaluchak massacre. Facing increasing isolation and discredit because of their anti-people policies, they have seized the opportunity to don the mantle of "super-patriots". Vajpayee and Musharraf have donned the mantle of "defender" of their countries and "champion fighter against terrorism and fundamentalism". The leaders of both India and Pakistan are shamelessly prostrating themselves before the Anglo-American imperialists and pledging to be their most faithful followers in this region.

The US imperialists, who have launched the "global war against terrorism" to conquer Asia, have greatly benefited by the Kaluchak massacre and the subsequent sabre-rattling by India against Pakistan. They have been provided further reasons to step up their interference in the sub-continent, this time with their "peace-diplomacy" to "prevent a nuclear conflagration". They have a chance to impose their aims not only in Kashmir, but also in South Asia as a whole. In a significant study by the US government released to the press, it is claimed that the US does not trust the Indian and Pakistani governments to avert war, that this war could well be a nuclear war, and that US armed forces will definitely have to intervene in South Asia following the outbreak of hostilities! The US imperialists and the reactionaries of South Asia are playing an extremely diabolical game against the peoples, benefiting both from the "terrorism" they are sponsoring and from the
"war against terrorism" they have unleashed, and from the "peace diplomacy".

Terrorism has its root in
the capitalist-imperialist system. Terrorism is a preferred weapon of imperialist and capitalist states worldwide to achieve their nefarious political aims against the peoples of their own countries and against the people of other countries. At this time, the imperialist and capitalist states, in particular Anglo-American imperialism as well as the Indian and Pakistani states are unleashing terrorism in the sub-continent to wreck the struggle of the toiling masses of South Asia, to prop up the anti-popular regimes in these two countries by whipping up war hysteria and militarisation, and to advance the aims of US imperialism of conquering this sub-continent. Any war between India and Pakistan will not end terrorism in South Asia. Terrorism will be ended in South Asia only when the peoples overthrow the anti-popular regimes, kick out the Anglo-American imperialists lock stock and barrel, and establish their own rule.

The Anglo-American imperialists are greatly worried that the peoples of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka do not rise up against the anti-popular regimes that are ruling over them and break out of the imperialist chain, the imperialist system of states. The spectre of the people of one or more of the countries of this region rising up in revolution is haunting the Anglo-American imperialists. The imperialists regard South Asia, home to over a billion people, as an extremely important emerging market. South Asia is also strategically located at the junction of the oil rich West and Central Asia, China and South East Asia. The Anglo-American imperialists have, in a calculated manner, encircled South Asia militarily by playing off the ruling class of India and Pakistan against each other. This has been going on in a systematic manner ever since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War. Following the September 11, 2001 events, and the joining of India and Pakistan in America’s "global war against terrorism", this process has got a great boost.

War between India and Pakistan, as also the continuing war hysteria and preparations for war, serve the imperialists and the anti-popular ruling cliques—not the peoples of South Asia. India’s working class and people must resolutely oppose the war preparations and war hysteria. The Indian people have to respond to the need of the times. The need of the times is to vigorously oppose the growing military and political interference of the Anglo-American imperialists in South Asia and the alliance of the reactionary ruling cliques of India and Pakistan with these imperialists.

The Indian working class and people must firmly hoist the banner of peace in South Asia. The times are calling on the Indian working class and people to build and strengthen the alliance of all the toiling and patriotic and peace loving peoples of India, Pakistan and other peoples of South Asia against the reactionary warmongering alliance of the Anglo-American imperialists and the traitorous rulers of the sub-continent. It is extremely clear that the cause of peace can never be left in the hands of the reactionary ruling class. Neither can this treacherous ruling class ever defend the sovereignty of the country or the interests of the peoples. It is the people who have to take the cause of peace into their own hands. For this the workers and peasants of India must rally all the toiling and patriotic and freedom loving people of South Asia to throw out the Anglo-American imperialists and their military forces out of the region. Simultaneously they must revolt against the treacherous ruling cliques which are the base for the imperialist domination, for the warmongering and the entire anti-social offensive against the peoples.

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We deeply mourn the passing away of Comrade Joao Amazonas

People’s Voice expresses its deepest condolences to the Communist Party of Brazil, PCdoB, and its militants, to the family and friends of Comrade João Amazonas, and to the Brazilian working class and people, on this sad loss. People’s Voice is reprinting the announce-ment of the National Secretariat of the Communist Party of Brazil, PCdoB. We are also carrying the message of condolence from Comrade Lal Singh, General Secretary of the Communist Ghadar Party of India to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Brazil.

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Imperialist geo-politics endangers the peoples of South Asia

US and Indian paratroopers are engaged in Agra in a military exercise which is allegedly aimed at enabling the two armed forces to work closely together. One of the main aims of the training is supposed to be carrying out para-troop landings in high cold mountain regions—that is Kashmir, and the Himalayan region. Later this year, the joint exercises will be conducted in Alaska to recreate the battle conditions, according to new reports. Earlier, joint naval exercises were conducted in the Bay of Bengal and it is reported that India is being asked to take charge of policing the Malacca straits.

Indian Officers and soldiers have for long received training in the US military establishments. However, the Agra exercises is perhaps the first time in recent decades that quiet openly the two armed forces are engaged in a joint training.

The crisis in Nepal has deepened with the dissolution of the Nepalese parliament and extension of emergency. (see article on CRISIS IN NEPAL in this issue) Army Chief Padmanabhan has made several trips to Nepal in recent months to "advise" the Nepalese government on "counterinsurgency". He has been decorated with one of the highest awards by the Nepalese government for the same! The Indian Army has been training the Nepalese army in "counterinsurgency" allegedly to crush "maoist-led insurgency". The training camp is reportedly in the Indian state
of Mizoram.

The Indian Army itself received training in "counter-insurgency" from the US forces in Thailand during the time of the Vietnam War. The aim of "counter-insurgency training" is to divide, disorient and crush revolutionary forces fighting for the liberation of peoples from the exploitative order. "Counter-insurgency" training involves targeting civilian populace, setting up terrorist groups as well as infiltrating revolutionary forces to spread division and mayhem. The people of North East states, Kashmir Valley, Punjab, and Andhra Pradesh have suffered greatly from the "counter-insurgency" tactics of the Indian state, with a huge number of militant groups funded by the Indian state spreading anarchy and mayhem.

Meanwhile, across the North-Western border, in Pakistan, US troops are carrying on an active military co-ordination with the Pakistan Army and Intelligence Services allegedly to hunt down "Al Quaida bases" in Pakistan. The terrorist strike in Karachi has been an excuse for the US and Pakistani authorities to extend military collaboration. The Indo-Pak war build-up is another excuse. It seems that the US plans to station its armed forces permanently in Pakistan, for long term aims, and it is creating conditions to ensure this.

In the South, in Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan Government has launched an ambitious project to resolve the issue of the demand for a separate Tamil homeland. It has opened talks with the LTTE which are scheduled to take place in Malaysia under Norwegian auspices. The Indian government has not yet taken an official stand on these talks, with conflicting considerations. Future developments will reveal further, the stands of the various interests in this conflict, which include, amongst others, the US, Britain and India.

South Asia is in ferment and the people are rising up against their oppressive conditions. The imperialists led by the US imperialists and reactionary forces of South Asia with the Indian and Pakistani ruling circles in the lead, are making preparations to drown the revolt of the people in blood. They are united in the diabolical aim of preserving the capitalist-imperialist system in this important region from the wrath of the peoples. Simultaneously, the contention amongst the imperialists and reactionaries for domination of the rich resources of the region, and the military-strategic advantages, is intensifying.

All this is taking place in conditions wherein the US imperialists are pursuing their strategy for conquest of Asia, including South Asia. The situation is extremely serious for all the peoples of South Asia. It demands that the working class and peoples see through the plans of the imperialists and reactionaries and oppose these plans. The working class and peoples must fight for peace in South Asia on the basis of opposing the use of force to settle political problems.

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Political crisis in Nepal

These events are but the latest in a series of fast paced and dramatic developments in Nepal. Just a year ago, King Birendra and almost the entire royal family were assassinated. The late King’s brother Gyanendra was appointed King in the face of massive protests all over the country at his ascension to the throne. Prime Minister Koirala subsequently resigned and Sher Bahadur Deuba was appointed Prime Minister. In the meanwhile, the revolt of peasants and youth of Nepal against their conditions that had been going on for some years has escalated further. Thousands of people were killed in armed clashes between the police and the people. In November 2001, a state of emergency was declared by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba. The Nepalese Army was given full powers to crush the insurgency that has spread in the rural regions.

Press censorship was imposed. All news that could be said to be favouring the forces involved in the uprising, the causes of the uprising, or news about the repression of the armed forces was blacked out. Hundreds of journalists are behind bars, many papers have been forcibly shut down. As the armed forces, assisted by the Indian armed forces, have carried out savage aerial bombings of villages and the mass resentment has spread, the two main parliamentary political parties of Nepal, the Nepalese Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist Leninist) have begun facing crisis in their ranks.

The King of Nepal, Gyanendra and Prime Minister Deuba planned to extend the state of emergency by another six months. The Nepalese Congress Party decided to oppose the extension of emergency powers in parliament and called for a political solution to the problem. The Communist Party of Nepal (UML) would also have been hard put to support the extension of emergency. This meant that King Gyanendra and Prime Minister Deuba would have failed to get parliament to ratify the extension. In this situation, the ruling clique of Nepal — the King, the chiefs of the Army and the Prime Minister—dissolved parliament and extended the emergency. Prime Minister Deuba was retained as caretaker Prime Minister till elections due later this year, in November. It is in such a situation that the Nepalese Congress Party has expelled the Prime Minister from membership of the party and demanded mass resignation of the Cabinet. According to news reports, three ministers have already resigned.

One of the features of the present crisis is the deep involvement of the Indian government. Even while many Nepalese public personalities have expressed apprehension about Prime Minister Deuba’s attempts to co-ordinate with India in so-called "counter-insurgency", the Nepalese King and his Prime Minister have ignored these legitimate concerns and gone ahead with the collaboration. The Indian ruling class has long followed the hegemonistic policy towards Nepal using the relative difference in size and the fact that Nepal is a poor, land locked country, to dominate and plunder that country. Successive governments of Nepal, on their part, strove to build friendly relations with China and Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, in an effort to balance Indian ambitions. The hijacking of a plane from Kathmandu to Kandahar two years back became the excuse for increasing pressure on Nepal by India. An economic and tourism blockade was imposed on our neighbour by cancelling flights as well as imposing trade restrictions. The assassination of the former King Birendra and his entire family, and the September 11 events in the US have created a situation where Indian interefence in Nepal has greatly increased. The Indian state has used the developing situation to increase its intervention in Nepal, using the pretext of Pakistan using Nepal as a base for terrorism and the pretext of helping the Nepalese government to crush the revolt of the people. India has repeatedly declared that it will "help" Nepal militarily. Nepalese forces are being trained in "counter-insurgency" by the Indian Army in Mizoram. It may not be a coincidence that at the time Prime Minister Deuba and the King of Nepal decided to dissolve parliament, India’s Army Chief, General Padmanabhan was stationed in Kathmandu!

It is not without significance that Prime Minister Deuba has declared that his policy of suppressing the revolt of the Nepalese people has received full support from New Delhi, London and Washington! The deepening political crisis in Nepal must be seen in the context of the deepening crisis in South Asia as a whole. It must be seen in the context of the Anglo-American imperialists "war against terrorism", a euphemism for the war to conquer Asia. South Asia is in turmoil and the imperialists and reactionaries are united in crushing the strivings of the peoples. It is extremely important that the peoples of the region unite against the imperialists and the reactionary ruling cliques.

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Condemn the terrorist killing of Hurriyat leader Abdul Ghani Lone

It is significant that the governments of India and Pakistan as well as the imperialist governments have all, in one voice condemned Lone’s assassination. Simultaneously, the Indian government has not lost any time in accusing Pakistan as well as various militant groups of masterminding the killings, while the Pakistan government has indicated that it suspects the hand of Indian intelligence agencies. Defence Minister Fernandes has declared the killing was the handiwork of "those in whose path he was a thorn". Every one is free to conclude whatever he or she thinks fit to draw—was he a thorn in the flesh of the Vajpayee government, the Farooq Abdullah government, the Musharraf government, the Shiv Sena groups in Jammu who had less than a month ago beaten up the late Lone in a press conference, or other militant or terrorist groups in the Valley?

The assassination of the Kashmir leader Abdul Lone is a signal to all Kashmir politicians. It is a signal to all politicians and public figures in the region. It is an important message reconfirming that neither the imperialists, nor the ruling class of India or Pakistan will ever solve the Kashmir problem in favour of the Kashmiri people. It is a message to all the peoples of South Asia that there is only one alternative. This is to break with the entire colonial legacy, whose bitter fruits we are harvesting in grotesque terms in the form of the capitalist system, the anti-social offensive, the communal and fascist terror, and state terrorism. The Kashmiri people can find salvation only in joining hands with the other peoples of South Asia—primarily the workers, peasants and working people—in the common aim of thoroughgoing democratic renewal by breaking with the colonial legacy. The struggle is against the imperialists, their South Asian allies, and the system that serves them.

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Privatisation of IPCL strengthens monopoly
position of Reliance group

The other bidders were the government-owned Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and the private company Nirma. Reliance won against its competitors by quoting Rs 231 per share as against the second highest bidder Indian Oil’s Rs 128 per share. Reliance’s bid was 76 per cent higher than the reserve price of Rs 131 per share fixed by the disinvestment advisor to the government. The fact that the reserve price was pegged at such a low level and the fact that other competitors quoted way below the highest bid have once again given rise to suspicions of behind the scenes secret deals that have haunted the process of privatisation of Public Sector companies since the very first privatisation deal, that of Modern Food Industries Limited, two years back.

The privatisation of IPCL raises a number of important issues. Firstly the IPCL privatisation exposes the lie of the bourgeoisie that privatisation will increase competition and consumer welfare. The privatisation of IPCL will lead to a tremendous increase in the monopoly power of Reliance in the market.

Analysts have pointed out that RIL’s control over IPCL would create a monopoly in many petrochemical products: IPCL makes nine out of the thirteen products that RIL manufactures. The average market share of the combined entity across all products will now be about 67 per cent. This ranges from 38 per cent for polyester filament yarn (PFY), that RIL makes but IPCL doesn’t, to 98 per cent for paraxylene (PX) that both manufacture. In fact, for all products but PFY and linear alkyl benzene (LAB), the combined entity will control over half the market.

The second feature of the privatisation of IPCL is that government has handed over management control of the company to RIL (in other words actual control over the company) even though only a minority of shares has been transferred to RIL. It may be recalled that in the case of privatisation of MFIL, the government sold 74% shares in the first round of privatisation to HLL. By handing over IPCL’s control to the private sector monopoly RIL for a mere 26% of the shares, it is openly stating that the aim of the government is to ensure that profit making public sector companies, precious assets of the country, are handed over to the big monopolies and multinationals to make the maximum profits at minimum costs.

The privatisation of IPCL was carried out notwithstanding the opposition of the standing panel on petroleum and chemicals. In its report submitted one month before the privatisation deal was signed, the panel described IPCL as a "pioneering petrochemical industry in India and one of the leading PSUs which has also got the Navratna status", and stressed that "IPCL is a profit-making company and the committee is against disinvestment in this company."

It also pointed out that many small scale industries (SSIs) were dependent on the efficient working of IPCL and they accounted for significant employment. The report stressed that over the years, IPCL had also accumulated valuable assets indicating the efficiency of the undertaking.

Both the public and private monopolies in the petrochemical sector have so far managed to keep the import duties at a high enough level so that they can keep foreign competitors out and the Indian market in their grip. Even after several duty cuts, the average protection level on most petrochemicals today is relatively high, ranging between 30 to 35 per cent across products. The further monopolization in the hands of Reliance means that even bigger concessions will be extracted from the state to suit the interests of this monopoly player.

The acquisition of IPCL by Reliance confirms that the privatisation program is driven by the greed of the biggest monopoly groups and is against the general interests of society. The working class must reiterate its demand with redoubled strength that privatisation should be stopped!

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Census data reveals further marginalisation of workers and proletarianisation of peasants

Between 1991 and 2001, while the total population increased from 837 million to 1,105 million, the number of workers during the year increased from 314 million to 399 million.

Out of the additional 85 million workers between 1991 and 2001 censuses, 60 million (about 70 per cent) came from the marginal worker category. Among the females, out of the net addition of 36 million workers, 28 million (77 per cent) were marginal workers.

Another revealing feature of the census results is the significant shift of workers from the agricultural sector to the non-agricultural sector between 1991 to 2001. In 1991, about 67 per cent of the total work force was in the agriculture sector. This share has decreased to 59 per cent in 2001. If one were to look at the rural areas, the share of agricultural workers decreased from 81 per cent in 1991 to 73 per cent in 2001.
One of the most striking features of the census 2001 data is the decrease in absolute numbers of male cultivators by more than 4 million between 1991 to 2001 coupled with a huge increase in the number of male agricultural labourers (10 million).

The significantly large increase in the number of female cultivators and agricultural labourers during 1991-2001 is largely perhaps due to improved coverage of female workers in the recent census.

Out of the net accretion of work force population of 85 million between 1991 and 2001 Census,
54 million (63 percent) came from the category ‘Other Workers’ followed by 21 million (25 percent) from the category ‘Agricultural Labourers’. Nearly
9 million workers came from the category of "household industry". Even in rural areas about 60 percent of the net addition of work force came from non-agricultural sector. Among the male work force in rural areas more than three-fourths of the addition between 1991 and 2001 was in non-agricultural sector.

The census data needs to be analysed further to understand rural/urban and regional variations. But the trends are obvious. The data further proves the fact that capitalism is at the base of the Indian economy and that the laws of capitalism determine the status and categorisation of the working population. The data clearly reveals the fact that the work force of the country has been further marginalised in the past decade with more than three-fourths of the new work force being added to the "marginal" worker category. Further, the data points out that peasants are getting proletarianised on a massive scale and are being driven to the cities to take up household jobs or to join the informal sector with no guarantee of livelihood and income.

Census Definitions

‘Work’ has been defined as participation in any economically productive activity. Such participation is physical or mental in nature. Work involved not only actual work but also effective supervision and direction of work. It also included unpaid work on farm or in family enterprise.

According to this definition, the entire population has been classified into three main categories i.e., Main workers, Marginal workers and Non-workers.

Main workers were those who had worked for the major part of the year preceding the date of enumeration i.e., those who were engaged in any economically productive activity for 183 days or six months or more during the year.

Marginal workers were those who worked any time at all in the year preceding the enumeration but did not work for a major part of the year i.e., those who worked for less than 183 days or six months.

A person was considered as cultivator if he or she was engaged either as employer, worker or family worker in cultivation of land owned or held from government or held from private persons or institutions for payment in money, kind or share of crop. Cultivation included supervision or direction of cultivation.

A person who worked in another person’s land for wages in cash, kind or share or crop was regarded as an agricultural labourer. Such a person had no risk in cultivation but merely worked in another person’s land for wages. An agricultural labour had no right of lease or contract on land on which he worked.

Household Industry was defined as an industry conducted by the head of the household himself/herself and/or by the members of the household at home or within the village in rural areas, and only within the precincts of the house where the household lived in urban areas. The larger proportion of workers in a household industry should consist of members of the household including the head. The industry should not be run on the scale of a registered factory.

All those who worked in any field of economic activity other than cultivation, agricultural labour or household industry were treated as ‘Other workers’.

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Bourgeois "reforms" constitute severe attacks on farmers livelihood

In the seventies and eighties various political forces came to power on the basis of being leaders of the farmers movement. They retained power by handing out sops like "free" electricity and water, subsidized inputs such as fertilizers and seeds, and guaranteed prices for their produce. However the drive of the Indian big bourgeoisie for globalisation through liberalisation and privatisation has made it mandatory for these forces to accelerate the processes of bourgeois reforms. The wheel has come full circle for them, and they are now forcing the farmers to pay "market" (read, profitable) prices for utilities like water and electricity, while removing all support like guaranteed prices for and off take of agricultural produce. The farmers are being forced to fend for themselves. What must they do in this situation? We print below reports of such attacks in two states, Rajasthan and Haryana.

Haryana farmers step up agitation

Thousands of farmers of the villages of the Jind district of Haryana are carrying on a militant agitation in protest against the Chauthala government’s decision to forcibly recover outstanding electricity dues. The Chandigarh-Jind highway has been blocked by a rasta roko agitation. The farmers, organised under the banner of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, are demanding that the state government immediately withdraw its decision to forcibly recover outstanding electricity dues.The farmers are also demanding the release of over 70 farmers who have been arrested since April 13, 2002 for allegedly defaulting on their payments.

Early in January, the Haryana government decided to forcibly recover electricity dues from lakhs of farmers all over the state. These relate to an entire period since 1991 and run into hundreds of crores of Rupees. The Chauthala government, which had come to power on the basis of promising free electricity to farmers has been under pressure from the Central government and the World Bank to "balance its books" and create conditions for the privatisation of electricity. Over a year ago, it forced farmers of Haryana to install new electricity meters at huge cost. That effort was met by a powerful agitation by farmers in different districts. Now, it is going into the second phase of attacking farmers by forcibly recovering dues. The farmers of Haryana, who constitute a vast majority of the population of this agricultural state, are understandably angry and showing their opposition through powerful protests.

The attack on farmers is part of the drive of the Indian big bourgeoisie for globalisation through liberalisation and privatisation. It is one prong of the anti-social offensive under which the state extracts from the middle strata and the peasantry to subsidise the big bourgeoisie and imperialism.

The political forces who rose in the seventies and eighties in Haryana and Punjab, amongst other states, promised heaven on earth to the farmers in the form of "free electricity", and procurement prices for wheat and rice that would allegedly ensure the livelihood for the farmers. They induced the farmers to install tubewells and tap the ground water. Thus the state got away from its responsibility of providing irrigation. The politician middle men made fast bucks in the electricity game. Over the years, the ground water levels have become very low, and more and heavier borewells and greater amount of electricity is required to extract the water required for irrigation. Now the farmers are being told that power is not their right, that they have to fend for themselves. The livelihood of the farmers is under severe attack.

Farmers in drought-prone Rajasthan will soon have to pay a price for every drop of water they use in their fields with the state government deciding to abolish the subsidy on irrigation water.

It is expected that this inhuman attack on farmers, who are already driven to bankruptcy and suicide, will raise user charges by almost 400 per cent. With this move Rajasthan will be the first state to implement this anti-peasant reform as a condition imposed by the World Bank as part of a financial package for the state.

This move to abolish subsidy on irrigation water comes on the heel of the fascist decision of the state government to cut off electricity to defaulting villages. Both the decisions have been announced by the bourgeoisie in spite of the massive opposition of peasants.

The government’s decision to abolish the subsidy on irrigation water has been taken after it signed a $180 million (Rs 734 crore) loan agreement with the World Bank. The loan has been contracted supposedly to augment the ground and surface water resources and to develop the state’s irrigation potential. But who will benefit from these augmented resources. Certainly not the small and medium farmers who are already severely impoverished by frequent droughts and increased cost of fertilisers and other inputs. The reduced offtake of the public distribution system has already driven them to the wall. And the alien market system, which favours only the big producers, have made them indebted for life.

As per the loan agreement, the World Bank has insisted that the state government recover the cost of supply of irrigation water and maintenance of water resources from the peasants themselves. The bourgeoisie has become so greedy that they want to suck even the last drop of blood from the peasants. While the state government has been giving concessions and tax holidays to the capitalists in the state as well as in the rest of India and the world, it has been removing even the modicum of state support to the peasants. This is a shameless abrogation of the duty of a state to ensure the well being of its people. The peasants are asking, "why should such a state be tolerated?"

Following the reduction in state subsidy there is also a plan to layoff workers in the state irrigation department. This is being done in the model of the World Bank inspired power sector reforms in the state, in which the bourgeoisie attacked the unity of workers and divided the Rajasthan State Electricity Board into five companies. A plan has been announced to privatise these companies in due course. The power sector reforms also aimed to abolish the power subsidies through progressive tariff hikes. The irrigation sector reforms will be modelled similarly.

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Problems faced by adivasis of Kerala

Adivasis are exploited to the hilt in India. They make their living from forest lands. They have traditional rights over such forest land. Ever since British colonialism conquered India, the forests and natural resources of the adivasis have been a prime target for contractors and capitalists. This situation has not changed after 1947 and despite all kinds of high sounding declarations by the Indian state and laws that allegedly protect the livelihood of adivasis, their livelihood has been continuously imperilled. The forests have been exploited by contractors working with the backing of the Indian state for timber. If the area that adivasis live in is rich in natural resources (coal in the Jharkhand region, bauxite in Chattisgarh and so on), the state as well as private capitalists have uprooted the adivasis, deprived them of their traditional source of livelihood, and exploited and oppressed them.

BALCO is a prime example of this. BALCO was allowed to exploit the adivasi land under the argument that it was "public property" and therefore could be allowed to make use of tribal land for public good. Apart from the fact that this logic is unacceptable as it has been used time and again by the Indian State to deprive toiling masses of their livelihood, by privatising BALCO, the government has handed over the tribal land directly for exploitation by private capitalists! However, BALCO is not the only example, the Indian State has taken over tribal lands without adequately compensating and rehabilitating them throughout India, whether under the pretext of building dams and other projects, supposedly in the interest of the people or for testing missiles and atomic bombs, supposedly in the interest of the defence of the country.

Recently, gross misuse of aid of Rupees 230 crore provided by Japan under the Tribal Welfare Scheme for adivasis of Kerala has come to light. It has been estimated that more than half (45,000 out of 70,000) of the adivasi families have become landless. According to a survey conducted under the Integrated Tribal Development Project in Attapady adivasi belt of Palakkad district in 1977, approximately 4000 adivasi families were cheated out of their more than 10,000 acres of land for compensations not above couple of thousands of Rupees. In many cases, their land was bought for as low as 20 Rupees!

Adivasis of Kerala have had a bitter experience in getting justice from the government and the legal system as well. Although, the Debar Committee had recommended as early as 1960, that all adivasi land alienated since 1960 should be returned to them, Kerala government failed to pass a law accepting these recommendation for 15 years. And even when the Kerala Scheduled Tribal Act, 1975 was passed on 1st April of that year, it took the government another 10 years to even formulate the implementation rules. The actual effective implementation is yet to take place. For example, the government rejected over 3000 claims of the adivasis for return of their land on grounds that they did not have sufficient documentary proof. It is well known that adivasis have a customary notion of land and property and often do not have documentary proofs. Even the more than 40,000 acres of land, held by various government departments and projects for tribal rehabilitation purposes has not been distributed. In addition, the government has used all sorts of manoeuvres to avoid implementation including issuing ordinances amending the Act itself, which could not be passed. Now the 1975 Act has been repealed and replaced by The Kerala Restriction on transfer by and Restoration of Lands to Scheduled Tribes Bill 1999.

With their experience of the government administration and the justice system, the adivasis have learnt to rely on their own strength and struggle for obtaining their rights. With the pressure of their struggle, the government conceded to give one acre for each landless family in 1999. However, an adivasi family cannot sustain itself on one acre of land and has been demanding a minimum of five acres of land. On 30th August 2001, adivasis were forced to launch an state-wide agitation in the aftermath of starvation deaths of many adivasis in the previous two months. The government tried to break the unity of the adivasis by offering some sops in the Master plan issued a day before the proposed meeting with the adivasi leaders. However, the adivasi leaders turned down such a scheme as there was no plan for the actual distribution of the land. Failing to buy out the struggle, the state government tried to threaten the adivasis into submission. The Chief Minister made a statement to the affect that "the adivasis should not take government’s restraint for granted". A major police crackdown was being prepared. However, due to widespread condemnation by many activists, the government decided not to crackdown on the protesting adivasis. Finally after 48 days of militant, united and unrelenting struggle of the adivasis, the government was forced to concede a grant of five acres per adivasi family from the month of January, 2002.

The adivasi struggle in Kerala shows the true nature of Indian state. It clearly shows that the government and state machinery and institutions work in the interest of the exploiters. That it uses various tactics to undermine the just struggles of the people for their rights. That the people can defend their rights only through a militant, united and uncompromising struggle.

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Lok Awaz Publishers and Distributors

E-392, Sanjay Colony
Okhla Phase 2
New Delhi – 110 020
India

Thursday 23rd May 2002

Comrades,

It is now nearly 5 months, both the Indian and Pakistani Governments have massed hundreds of thousands of soldiers along the border using the pretext of an attack on the bourgeois Indian Parliament.

War between India and Pakistan can never be justified as it will bring a colossal genocide for the peoples of the sub-continent. This must be opposed by all the progressive and revolutionary forces. The ruling classes of both India and Pakistan do not have anything in common with the working class. History shows, the ruling classes of this sub-continent will do anything, however criminal or shameful to maintain their class rule. The enemy is not the people of India or Pakistan or Kashmir, this or that religion; the real enemies are the ruling classes and their states. It is they who have invited foreign imperialism, multinationals and banks, used religion to incite communal violence and partitioned the nations of Bengal, Punjab and Kashmir, invite neo-colonial domination through the IMF, World Bank, WTO… etc., used the military against the masses in the style of the colonialists, passed numerous draconian laws and measures, and waged wars at the expense of the other (e.g. India/Pakistan), etc.

The Anglo-American Imperia-lists are eager to see such a genocide as it fits well into their "New World Order". What is so cynical is that they are supplying arms to both sides, helping to build up the armaments while at the same time playing the role of "peace brokers". US forces are already operating in Pakistan along the Afghan border allegedly "hunting" al-Qa’ida members with the support of the Pakistani Intelligence Service. Anglo-American mass media portrays India and Pakistan as "rivals" destined for "war" while their role of "reducing tension" and "dialogue" is hyped up. In fact it is the imperialist powers, the legacy of colonialism and complete capitulation of the ruling classes of India and Pakistan to world imperialism is the source of war and tension in the region. British troops have returned to Afghanistan after an absence of 80 years and likely to return to the sub-continent under the auspices of US imperialism.

A war between India and Pakistan spells disaster for the working class and a gift to imperialism, all due to the criminal rulers of India and Pakistan!

Aslam Ashfaqullah
Pakistan

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Message of Condolence of the Central Committee of the Communist Ghadar Party of India

May 30, 2002
New Delhi
India

Renato Rabelo
Jose Reinaldo Carvalho
Central Committee
Communist Party of Brazil (PCdoB)
Sao Paulo
Brazil

Dear Comrades

The news of the passing away on May 27 of Comrade João Amazonas, the beloved as well as renowned President of your Party, has filled our entire Party with great sadness. The Central Committee of our Party, as well as the entire membership of the Party, sends deep and heartfelt condolences to the Central Committee of your party, to all the Brazilian communists, and to the dear wife and close family of Comrade Amazonas.

From his early youth, to his passing away at the age of 90, Comrade João Amazonas’s life was totally dedicated to the cause of the emancipation of the working class and toiling masses, to the cause of the triumph of revolution and communism in Brazil and on the world scale.

In the great struggle waged by the revolutionary communists worldwide against the treachery and betrayal of Khruschevite revisionism in particular and modern revisionism in general, covering an entire period beginning with the ascension of modern revisionism to power in the Soviet Union and ending with the destruction of the Soviet Union, the contribution of Comrade João Amazonas, at the head of the Brazilian Communists, has been outstanding. Under his leadership, the Communist Party of Brazil (PCdoB) fought shoulder to shoulder with Comrade Enver Hoxha and with all the Marxist-Leninist Communist Parties in defence of the purity of Marxism-Leninism against its revision and distortion by modern revisionism and against the wrecking activities of the revisionists. Throughout his life Comrade João Amazonas fought in a principled and steadfast manner, in defence of the unity of the one communist movement, both in Brazil, and on the international plane.

All the comrades of our Party who have had the opportunity to meet Comrade João Amazonas have cherished the occasions. His modesty and kindness, love for our Party and concern about the Indian people’s revolutionary struggle, has left a lasting impression on our entire Party. Comrade Amazonas’s life and work are a source of inspiration for our Party.

Comrade João Amazonas has left his indelible imprint on the struggle of the Brazilian working class and people, and the struggle of workers and oppressed of the whole world for the triumph of the great ideals of national liberation and communism. Today, when the imperialist and reactionary forces have launched the greatest assault on communism and all that is progressive that humankind has achieved this far, the unwavering dedication of Comrade João Amazonas to the cause of revolution and communism, through all the twists and turns of the movement is a source of great inspiration. In the history of the communist movement of the twentieth century, Comrade Amazonas’s revolutionary work is an example to the present and future generations of communists. In the passing away of Comrade João Amazonas, not only your Party and the working class of Brazil, the entire world communist movement, the working class and people of the whole world have suffered an irreparable loss.

Dear comrades, we know the great loss that your party and the entire Brazilian working class has suffered in the passing away of this outstanding communist. We are confident at the same time, that steeled in struggle, your party will turn grief into strength, and march with redoubled strength to realise the great aim for which Comrade João Amazonas devoted his entire life.

With deepest comradely greetings
Lal Singh
General Secretary
Communist Ghadar Party of India

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Communists and Brazil are on mourning

São Paulo, May 27th, 2002.

The Communist Party of Brazil – PCdoB communicates to the Brazilian people as well as the Communist Parties and fraternal organizations around the world the pass away of its Honor President, Comrade JOÃO AMAZONAS. The death of the detached communist leadership, a hero of Brazilian people has occurred around 3 PM of today May 27th in São Paulo City.

João Amazonas de Souza Pedroso who has completed 90 years old last January was in intensive therapy center of an hospital, since 21st May, presented a breathing insufficiency.

His body will be at the Monumental Hall of the Assembly House of São Paulo to the condolences rites. The communists and his relatives will receive condolences messages at PCdoB Central Committee, situated at Alameda Sarutaiá, 185, J
ardim Paulista, CEO 01403-010, São Paulo-SP, e-mail internacional@pcdob.org.br, telephone 55 11 3054-1800, telefax 55 21 3051-7738

The National Secretariat of The Communist Party of Brazil - PCdoB

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