• Condemn the gruesome terrorist massacre in Ahmedabad

• State terrorism and the ballot—weapons of the Indian ruling class to prevent addressing the Kashmir problem

• NDA government’s decision to defer privatisation of oil companies:

• Privatisation of NALCO vigorously opposed

• Axe of Privatisation over Salem Steel Plant

• Mass Demonstration Against Racism in Toronto

• Meeting in Southall

• Gujarat:
  The demand "PUNISH THE GUILTY" must be pursued without letup

• Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development concludes:
  There is no cure from the gods of plague

• Crisis of capitalism deepens throughout the world

• Oppose the Central Government’s decision to curtail powers of Delhi State Government!

• Low interest rates help big companies

• Aggression on Iraq

• German opposition to US war plans reflected in elections

• US imperialist arm twisting to obtain immunity for war crimes

• Indo-US naval collaboration

• The USA, we, the Brazilian people, and the elections in Brazil
  By José Reinaldo Carvalho

Condemn the gruesome terrorist massacre in Ahmedabad

The Communist Ghadar Party condemns with great anger, the gruesome killing of over 37 innocent men, women and children in the terrorist strike on September 24 in the heart of Ahmedabad in the Akshardam temple. The Communist Ghadar Party of India expresses its heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved families. The CGPI condemns the Gujarat and Maharashtra governments for the violence unleashed by state organised mobs against people of the Muslim faith in Ahmedabad, Surat and Vadodara and Nagpur during the course of a bandh called by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad on September 26.

The ruling class politicians from Gandhinagar to New Delhi, without any pretext at investigation, have in one voice declared the terrorist massacre as master minded by Pakistan. This is in line with the policy of the Indian State to whip up anti-Pakistan and anti-Muslim frenzy seizing on every possible occasion. People must not fall into this trap. They need to analyse in a cool and calm manner who hopes to benefit from this terrorist massacre, who is the real hand behind these massacres. They need to understand why terrorism is being increasingly resorted to against the people

Atal Bihari Vajpayee was too quick to declare that the terrorist massacre has "nothing to do with Gujarat". The Prime Minster also declared that "terrorism is on its death bed". According to Vajpayee’s logic, the cause of terrorist violence in India should be seen outside India, in Pakistan to be precise. Vajpayee’s declaration that "terrorism is on its death bed" will not heal the trauma of countless families all over the country who have suffered death and devastation from terrorist violence.

The terrorist massacre in Ahmedabad is linked extremely closely to the crisis in Gujarat and India, despite the Prime Minister’s disclaimers. The rule of the Indian ruling class is in crisis as a result of the mounting opposition of the workers and peasants and middle strata to the mounting onslaught on their livelihood, rights and liberties. Fueling the crisis is the sharpening inter-capitalist contradictions amongst the ruling circles. The state organised genocide in Gujarat was aimed at spreading terror and communal frenzy, and crushing and disorienting the mounting struggle of workers and peasants and middle strata. In the process, the opposition of the Indian people has only further developed as also the infighting amongst the ruling class and their political parties. This is reflected in Gujarat in the competitive rath yatras organised by the Congress (I) and BJP from different temples, in the massive clash involving all the arms of the state over when to hold elections. The crisis of credibility of the ruling class and its state and political parties is intense. In such circumstances, the terrorist strike in Ahmedabad is aimed at restoring the credibility of the state, the ruling class and its parties. It suits both the ruling class parties as well as the Indian State. It is extremely convenient to point a finger at the "foreign hand" in order to hide the "hidden hand" and legitimise their rule.

Organising communal massacres as well as terrorist attacks on a people is a preferred practice of all capitalist and imperialist powers, including the Indian state, when they are in crisis. There is no end to the crisis in India except if the workers and peasants of India decide to take their destiny into their own hands and organise revolution against the present system. As the crisis of the ruling class and its system deepens, they will resort to even more horrendous communal and fascist attacks on the people to safeguard their system. Therefore, people must not be taken in by Vajpayee’s bluff that "terrorism is on its death bed". The source of terrorism is the capitalist-imperialist system and the main sponsor of terrorism in India is the Indian State and its imperialist allies. People will end the basis of terrorism by ending the man-eating system in India of which it is a preferred weapon.

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State terrorism and the ballot—weapons of the Indian ruling class to prevent addressing the Kashmir problem

Meanwhile, the attempt of the Indian government to force the Hurriyat Conference to participate in the elections has failed. Despite Chief Election Commissioner Lyngdoh’s assurance that those who wanted to boycott elections had the right to do so, the leaders of the Hurriyat were put under house arrest during the campaign period to prevent propaganda for boycott. All over the Kashmir valley, dozens of people have been killed by the armed forces in the run up to the elections, with the security forces declaring them to be Pakistani based "terrorists". Kashmir valley witnessed pitched clashes between the armed forces and the people, as well as complete hartal, even as Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was addressing the UN General Assembly and pontificating on the glories of Indian "democracy". These protests followed the killing of innocent people by the Border Security Force.

The first round of elections (in which official statistics boasted of 44% voter turnout) were hailed by the Indian and international media, the Indian state and the US imperialists as a "positive development", a "victory of democracy". The former US ambassador has gone on record as saying that the first round of polls in J & K show that "India is committed to holding free, fair and inclusive elections in J & K without violence". But even before the second round of elections could take place, scores of people were reported to have been killed and injured in clashes with the army and security forces!

The manner in which the Indian state is going head with these elections in Jammu and Kashmir clearly shows that it cares nothing for the aspirations of the Kashmiri people or for democratic public opinion. According to the Indian State, all those who are opposed to the elections at this time are "agents of Pakistan"! According to this logic, the Kashmir Committee of Ram Jethmalani, which has been holding discussions with different parties and organisations in Kashmir who are gathered under the umbrella of the Hurriyat Conference, would also qualify as an "agency of Pakistan". It may be recalled that Jethmalani had called for postponement of elections until the concerns raised by various Kashmiri groups are addressed. Amongst other things, the Hurriyat leaders had asked for assurance that the government of India would negotiate on a final solution of the Kashmir problem with whosoever was elected. The Government of India, of course refused to agree to this demand! In other words, the government of India has, in effect, declared that whosoever is elected in these elections in Kashmir, they will have no powers to represent the Kashmiri people; they will merely be puppets of the Central government.

It is clear that whatever the outcome of the ongoing elections may be, it will not contribute to the solution of the Kashmir problem in a democratic way. The ruthless state terrorism that has led to the slaughter of 80,000 people in the Kashmir Valley in the last 13 years, and the might of 500,000-strong armed forces have failed to quell the fighting spirit of the Kashmiri people. All the parties involved in the conflict in Kashmir—the Indian state, the Pakistani state, the forces in Kashmir in favour of elections and the forces in Kashmir opposed to the elections -- will claim the result a "victory". However, the people of Kashmir will remain precisely where they were earlier — deprived of the right to self-determination, partitioned against their will, forced to live in constant fear, under the jackboots of the Indian armed forces.

Today the rulers of India and Pakistan are appealing to the US imperialists to support their Kashmir policies. The Kashmir policies of both India and Pakistan are anti-Kashmiri. Both are interested, not in the well being of the Kashmiri people, but in their own imperial gains. In the same way, the US imperialists are in no way concerned about the fate of the Kashmiri people. They are looking at Kashmir with the eyes of a predator, as a strategic region, the control of which will advance their positions in Asia. Thus, a dangerous situation is being created by the policies pursued by the Indian State.

All democratic minded people of South Asia, all those concerned about the fate and future of the peoples of South Asia, all those opposed to imperialist intrigues, must roundly denounce the Indian state’s Kashmir policy. They must demand that the Indian state resolve the Kashmir problem by taking into consideration the aspirations of the Kashmiri people, i.e., by recognising that the right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people, both in India and Pakistan, is their inalienable right.

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NDA government’s decision to defer privatisation of oil companies:

Reflection of the sharpening contradictions amongst the big bourgeoisie and imperialists

At the CCD meeting, the Cabinet was split down the middle. Despite the backing of the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, the Disinvestment minister Arun Shourie could not push through his proposals. George Fernandes, Ram Naik, Murli Manohar Joshi, Jaswant Singh, Pramod Mahajan, Jagmohan, Uma Bharati, Sukhdev Dhindsa and others are supposed to have expressed opposition to the privatisation process. In an interview to the media, Arun Shourie declared the decision to postpone privatisation a result of "lobbying by BJP and NDA factions". He also accused the big monopolies of using all kind of lobbying methods, including ministers, to push through their agenda as regards BPCL and HPCL.

What is the conflict about? In the case of BPCL and HPCL, the market capitalisation is extremely high. The sale should fetch at least Rs. 30,000 crores. Even Reliance, the biggest Indian bidder will find it difficult to raise the money. Arun Shourie is pushing for strategic sale, that is the sale to a strategic partner to get the best returns. It is rumoured that foreign oil companies are eyeing the possibilities and Shell’s name is mentioned as a potential buyer. The opponents of Arun Shourie are not opposed to sale of BPCL and HPCL. They are opposed to the "method of sale", that is they want to sell it in parts. This is not an opposition on the basis of any principle, but of expediency. This is why the same ministers voted with both hands for the strategic sale of Modern Foods, BALCO and other companies, despite the opposition of the working class. The expediency arises from the factors Arun Shourie has referred to —lobbying by big capitalist companies. In other words, while all the reactionary politicians are making a song and dance of defending national interests, in fact they are working for this or that Indian or foreign corporate. In this connection, it may be opportune to remember that in each such deal of buying or selling, the quoted figure of commission is 3%! (It is much higher in defence deals). There is a lot of money doing the rounds, enough to make the honourable MP’s and ministers of various parties jump up and down and rave about "national interests" and "interests of the working class", that is their own interests and the interests of their corporate financiers.

The decision of the government to postpone sale of the oil companies and disinvestment of other companies should not let the working class lose its vigilance. It must be noted that the Cabinet decided unanimously that it will continue the process of privatisation. It also decided that Public Sector Companies would not be allowed to bid for other public Sector Units put up for sale. In other words, the decision of the government to postpone sales of PSU’s is aimed at buying time to resolve the inter-capitalist conflicts behind closed doors, to ensure that the monies (perks of office) are distributed "fairly" to every player’s satisfaction and the united assault on the working class and people of our country in the name of privatisation can continue with fresh steam.

Another reason for stepped up conflicts within the NDA government on privatisation is the fact that for various ministers, the sale of PSU’s under their respective ministries will remove a big source of power and pelf.

There is no doubt that the valiant struggle of the working class and people against privatisation has contributed to the sharpening crisis in the ruling circles. The heroic opposition of Modern Food workers to privatisation, their exposure of the consequences of privatisation, brought home to workers and people at large the necessity to vigorously fight to halt privatisation. Despite being small in number, and spread in units all over the country, and facing a conspiracy of silence even from the parliamentary "opposition", the Modern Food workers continue to fight courageously. The opposition of BALCO workers to privatisation and their militant struggle, the support of broad masses in Chattisgarh, further contributed to the crisis. Now, in every state, whether it be the case of NALCO in Orissa, or Salem Steel Plant in Tamilnadu, people are coming forward to defend the PSU in their area, forcing the bourgeois politicians of the state to at least pay lip service to their struggle.

However, the working class can take advantage of this crisis and advance its cause only if it steps up its struggle to put a complete halt to privatisation and to reverse the trend. The working class’s opposition to privatisation is a matter of principle. Without harbouring any illusions about the bourgeois "opposition" to privatisation within or without the NDA ranks, the working class must step up its struggle.

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Privatisation of NALCO vigorously opposed

Hundreds of platoons of police and security personnel were mobilised to brutally beat up and indiscriminately arrest the protesting people. In Bhubaneswar alone, nearly 3000 people, including large numbers of women, were reported to have been arrested, while many suffered serious injuries due to tear gas shelling and lathi charge by the police and security forces.

The massive opposition to the privatisation of NALCO is an indication of the fact that more and more people are coming to realise that the government’s privatisation program is only in the interests of the biggest monopolies, Indian and foreign, and is totally against the interests of the majority of Indian people.

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Axe of Privatisation over Salem Steel Plant

2 years ago, the Tamilnadu Assembly passed a resolution demanding that the government of India should take constructive steps for the revival of the Salem Steel Plant. Workers of the plant as well as several MP’s from Tamilnadu have repeated this demand to the Central government many times since then. However, ignoring these demands, the government of India is now going ahead with its plan to privatise the Salem Steel Plant.

The Salem Steel Plant ran into difficulty in 1995, with the commissioning of the Hot Rolling Mill (HRM), at a huge investment of Rs. 800 crore. Although SAIL had originally committed its own funds for this investment, it went back on its commitment and the cost of the investment was met through borrowings. On account of this investment, the plant was forced to bear an interest burden of Rs. 300 crore and depreciation of Rs. 175 crore till now. In the same period, SAIL is reported to have committed Rs. 10,000 crore for the modernisation of other steel plants, while bearing the interest burden arising out of such huge investments as well. But similar prospects for revival of the Salem Steel Plant have never been investigated.

One of the major problems faced by the Salem Steel Plant is its source of raw material. Currently, the plant obtains its raw material in the form of stainless steel slabs purchased from private parties or imported, at a huge cost. By establishing a steel making facility at a cost of less than Rs. 200 crore at Salem itself, as had been envisaged earlier, the plant would have become an integrated steel plant and the raw material could be produced in-house, at a much lower cost. This would have helped to increase the market share of the plant, which enjoys a good reputation worldwide, for its products. This promise of the central government too remains unfulfilled.

From all accounts, the Salem Steel Plant, with its enormous assets, would be an extremely lucrative enterprise for any private buyer. With an investment of Rs. 1,100 crore, the plant has well established infrastructure facilities such as four lane roads, a 28 km pipeline from the Cauvery river to supply water to the plant, 3 LPG units, a railway siding, a township with more than 800 residential units and other facilities such as a hospital, cultural centre, shopping complex, parks and a school. The current market value of the plant may exceed Rs. 3000 crore, excluding about 2000 acres of prime land, still unutilised, whose value may run into hundreds of crores. The plant also has raw materials, finished products and machinery worth more than Rs. 180 crores. The plant has contributed more than Rs. 1,500 crore to the national and state exchequer in the form of taxes, duties and foreign exchange earnings. All this wealth is now being offered on a platter to the private steel monopolies, rather than being revitalised for the benefit of the people.

The privatisation of the Salem Steel Plant will also greatly affect the lives and livelihood of more than 2000 employees currently employed in it, as well as of more than 15,000 households living in the region, who are economically dependent on the steel plant.

The move towards privatisation of the Salem Steel Plant is one more example that clearly shows how the entire privatisation program is only in the interests of the biggest monopolies at home and abroad, to satisfy whose rapacious greed, the wealth, labour, livelihood and well-being of our people is being shamelessly sacrificed.

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Mass Demonstration Against Racism in Toronto

The ongoing problem of racially-motivated police attacks on the South Asian community in the Greater Toronto Area came to a head recently when a police officer from the Peel force savagely beat up a South Asian man, after arresting him on a minor charge that carried a $75.00 fine. Several shopkeepers and businessmen in the mall where the attack took place witnessed the incident, shouted at the officer to stop and even photographed the bloodstained pavement. The victim suffered numerous injuries, including broken ribs and at least one cut requiring seven stitches.

The demonstration itself was testimony to the spirit of Unity in Action, that enabled many different groups to get together in an action committee, to organize the mass action. Following the demonstration, the ad-hoc organizing committee formalized itself as the South Asian Action Committee Against Racism and vowed to carry forward the struggle against racism and police violence, to punish the police officers responsible and to defend the dignity and respect of the entire community.

The incident that sparked the action was just the last in a list of attacks, bullying and harassment by members of the force, directed towards members of the South Asian community. It also served as a rallying point for other sections of the Canadian people, who have experienced similar problems, especially over the past year, including the Pakistani community in Toronto.

The four-hour demonstration was stopped at one point, so that members of the community and others could address the demonstrators. Speakers from the Organizing Committee, from Punjabi media outlets, from the UNITE trade union, from the Committee Against Targeted Policing, from the Muslim Democratic Front at the University of Toronto, and from People’s Front all called for the punishment of the officers involved. A Memorandum regarding the issue, addressed to the Chief of Police of the region was also read, stating that the police are not above the law, that criminals must be punished and that the police force cannot be allowed to police itself. It demanded an end to this form of racist violence perpetrated by those who are supposed to stop such violence. A vote on whether or not to send the Memorandum to the Chief of Police was called and approved with a great deal of enthusiasm. The spirit of unity and self-reliance empowered everyone present with confidence and self-assurance to carry on the struggle with or without politicians from the major parties, who have been very reluctant to deal with the problem and did not speak at the rally.

I. Singh, a veteran anti-racist political activist in the community and one of the organizers, pointed out that the struggle against racism, and in particular against racist violence by the police, has been fought for many years in Canada. It is a just and noble struggle. It is part and parcel of the struggle of the peoples to rid the world of racism and fascism and against state terror. He encouraged everyone present to remain united to ensure that their struggle would be rewarded, just as it had been in the past, when the East Indian Defence Committee and other groups fought each and every instance of racism, to ensure that their community could live in dignity and peace in Canada. In many ways, the size, the close-knit unity and the determination of the people to carry the struggle forward was like a breath of fresh air, rekindling the flame of the anti-racist struggle in Toronto.

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Meeting in Southall

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Gujarat:

The demand "PUNISH THE GUILTY" must be pursued without letup

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, speaking in the UN General Assembly, called the Gujarat genocide an "aberration"! He faced a barrage of protests from the Indian community in the US during his visit. News media quote the Prime Minister as saying that "Gujaratis have told him that they organise communal riots every two years", the implicit conclusion being that the genocide in Gujarat is not an issue to be unduly perturbed about! Prime Minister Vajpayee did not publicly mention the name of the Gujaratis who have his ear, but presumably they are the big capitalists from Gujarat and his political comrades from that state like Chief Minister Modi, Deputy Prime Minister Advani, et al. On the one hand, the Prime Minister has again revealed his callousness to the plight of the victims of the genocide. On the other hand, he has shown his contempt for the entire Gujarati people by declaring them as communal.

According to the Indian ruling class, the slaughter of tens of thousands of people of the Muslim faith in state organised communal massacres in India in the past 52 years is an "aberration". The slaughter of thousands of people of the Sikh faith in the 1984 genocide was also an "aberration". Similarly with the periodic attacks on people of the Christian faith. According to the ruling class, Indian state is "secular" and it is the people who are communal. Again according to the Indian ruling class, the Indian state is "democratic"—the people have the right to determine once every few years through elections who amongst the exploiters must rule over them; and it is the people who are to blame if they elect "wrong people".

An "aberration" indicates that no crime was committed, only a "mistake". It is an open declaration that there will be no punishment of the guilty. It is an open declaration that more Gujarats, more November 1984’s are being planned by the Indian ruling class.

The working class and peasantry, the democratic minded people are painfully aware that the Indian State organised the communal massacres in Gujarat. They are deeply concerned about preventing the recurrence of such massacres. HOW TO PUT AN END TO STATE ORGANISED COMMUNAL VIOLENCE—this is the question being discussed in the mohallas and galis of Ahmedabad, Vadodara, and numerous other towns; in the universities and high schools of the country; as well as among concerned political and social activists all across the country. The Indian ruling class does not want this discussion to develop amongst the Indian people, for it knows well that if the Indian people begin to act to prevent the recurrence of communal violence, its rule will be threatened.

The Indian ruling class wants to put a lid on the anger of the Indian people at the communal holocaust, to put a lid on the demand to PUNISH THE GUILTY as well as on the people seeking a way out of periodic state organised genocides against them. Its aim is to prettify Indian "democracy", prettify the communal Indian State, and absolve the Indian State of the crime it has committed against the people. To achieve this, the ruling class is making a big drama of organising elections in Gujarat in the "best possible way" and "at the best possible time", with all the institutions of the state — the executive, the Election Commission, the judiciary and the parliamentary parties being party to this exercise.

The election campaign has already begun with grotesques rathyatras organised by the two main contending forces—the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress (I). Meanwhile, amongst the working class and democratic forces, hysteria is being spread that somehow defeating the Narendra Modi regime in elections is the only way to prevent further communal holocausts in India. Support the Congress (I) as the "lesser evil" -- this is the battle cry of the CPIM and some others in the communist movement.

Such a course is a recipe for further disasters. It is extremely important for people to understand that the Indian State is communal to its very core. Unleashing communal violence is a preferred policy of the Indian ruling class to smash the unity of the workers and peasants. Whenever the ruling class is in the midst of a crisis, whenever they face isolation and discredit, whenever their rule is under threat, they unleash communal pogroms to refurbish their rule. This is what the British colonialists did during their rule, and this is what India’s ruling class has done since 1947. The communal holocaust in Gujarat is the response of the Indian ruling class to the economic crisis as well as the mounting opposition of the workers and peasants of our country to the program of globalisation through liberalisation and privatisation.

The blood of thousands of innocent people has been spilt to satisfy the diabolical aims of the Indian big bourgeoisie. This will happen repeatedly in the future as well. If people have to put an end to the communal violence, they cannot rest content with changing the party in power as advocated by CPIM under the slogan of "lesser evil". They have to address the root of the problem, here and now, and not leave this as a future prospect.

People must not give up the demand they have raised of PUNISHING THE GUILTY. They must demand punishment not only for the perpetrators of the Gujarat genocide, but also all the other state organised genocides, including the 1984 genocide. The discussion on how to put an end once and for all to communal violence must be further developed. Far from getting diverted by the agenda of the ruling class as to which party of the ruling class constitutes the "lesser evil", the working class and peasantry and all those seeking an end to the communal and fascist violence of the state must bring their own agenda to the center stage of political discourse.

The Gujarat genocide and the reactions of the parliamentary political parties are grim confirmation that Indian people cannot expect security and prosperity at the hands of the Indian ruling class, that under this "secular" "democracy" even more horrendous massacres will be organised by the state against the people. Organising communal massacres is a preferred policy of this state to drown the people’s struggle in blood and legitimise its rule. The guilty will never be punished by those who rule today, because it is the guilty who collectively wield power. The problem can only be resolved when people empower themselves. With political power in our hands, we, the people of India will ensure swift punishment to all those who raise their blood-stained hands against the toiling masses. With political power in the hands of our toiling masses, we will be able to chart our own destiny.

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Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development concludes:

There is no cure from the gods of plague

The Summit was notable for sidelining the real concerns of the people of protection of the environment, availability of basic necessities of water, clean air, and food. The widening gap between the rich and the poor, as well as the ruthless exploitation of the earth’s non-renewable resources like forests and oil by the multinationals was totally ignored. A "new" concept of "type 2" agreements has been given prominence. The essence of these agreements is that they allow the governments to shake off their responsibilities for these key issues and put them on the shoulders of NGOs and others.

The Summit was marked by brazen efforts of big global capitalist corporates to influence its decisions. For example, a Geneva based World Business Council for Sustainable Development, representing 140 biggest multinationals, has been most active in Johannesburg to project their interests. Apart from the visible presence of big corporations like BMW and Mercedes, big business has also been reported to be trying to buy influence using behind-the-scene manoeuvres. In fact so striking has been the presence of the corporate sector at this summit that many have dubbed the summit as Doha plus ten (months) instead of Rio plus ten (years), after the Doha summit of the imperialist states held last year in Doha.

Background

The twentieth century has witnessed rapid advances in technology, which have created processes, and products that have been having massive affect on the global environment. However, because the bulk of the industrial and commercial activities have been driven by the narrow motive of maximising profits, sufficient resources have not been mobilised to eliminate their adverse affect on the environment. Towards the later part of the century, it was widely recognised that indiscriminate deforestation, emissions of carbon and nitrogen oxides, refrigerants, use of plastics and other trends were causing irreparable damage to the environment and ecology. The major culprits for causing the damage to global environment and ecology have been recognised to be the advanced capitalist countries, where the consumption levels are many times those of the underdeveloped countries.

Due to pressure from the concerned people and organisations, the United Nations Organisations organised the first World Conference on Human Environment to discuss the issue in Stockholm, Sweden in 1972. The next major event in this direction was the World Conference in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil in 1992, popularly called the Earth Summit. The World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg was to take stock of the issues since the Rio Summit. It is no surprise that the US president did not want to attend this Summit. After the Rio summit the governments of the advanced capitalist countries agreed to provide Overseas Development Aid (ODA) of 0.7% of their GNP, as a minimum, to the less developed capitalist countries as they were contributing to global pollution at a much faster rate. However, in the last 10 years, the major donor states have not met even half of the minimum target. In fact, at the Johannesburg Summit, US and Japan were opposed to any binding clause on commitment to provide for poverty alleviation and environmental protection in the developing countries.

There is no cure from the gods of plague

The problem of conserving the earth’s resources, of protecting the environment for the benefit of the present as well as future generations has become a very key concern for the working masses of all countries, as well as the enlightened intelligentsia. In India, all ancient wisdom, reflects concern for the environment. It is the capitalist system, especially since capitalism has reached its highest and final stage of imperialism, that has played incalculable havoc with the environment. The human and environmental devastation of Africa, Latin America and Asia carried out by the big global capitalist corporations are testimony to this.

In the face of the rising consciousness of the proletariat and peoples, especially of the advanced capitalist countries, about the degradation of the environment, the capitalist corporations and the capitalist states are advancing a new strategy to co-opt the environment protection movement as its adjunct. This strategy is to make out that the capitalist corporations will have a "green wing", that is along with the flourishing of capitalism and the intensification of imperialist plunder and capitalist exploitation, somehow the capitalists will also "protect the environment". How is this done? For one, the issue of protection of environment is used as a stick to put down rivals, particularly the bourgeoisie of less capitalistically developed states, so that the markets of these countries can be opened up further to "environmentally friendly technology" produced by the very same companies which were guilty of despoiling the environment in the first place. Secondly, all the capitalist states will spend more on "environment protection", that is, the wealth of the working masses, squeezed as taxes, will be used to finance capitalist companies to make money as well as clean up the environment they destroy in the first place. Thirdly, the capitalist states and the multinationals will co-opt various NGO’s into this policy, so that the real cause of the problem of destruction of the environment and the earth’s natural resources is hidden from the working class and people.

In India, we have seen many examples of the manner in which environment protection has been used by the giant corporations to advance their interests. The issue of pollution in the capital, Delhi, was used by vehicle manufacturers to fight their internecine battles as well as push their products into the market by getting the older vehicles banned by the Supreme Court. The case was put forward as a "Public Interest Litigation", hiding the nature of the vested interests behind the issue. The closure of lakhs of small scale units in the capital under the slogan that they were polluting industries had similar aims. In the process, the livelihood of millions of people has been affected. It is made out that the working masses are the enemies of the environment, while the exploiters and plunderers of society and nature are made out to be their saviours. Many of the closed units in Delhi were shifted to Himachal Pradesh, with a much more fragile eco-system, with the full connivance of the state. The environmental degradation of the land, seas, forests and air continues unabated when it is not in the interests of the capitalist corporations or the state to raise an issue about them. This is precisely what is happening on a global scale as well.

The continuation of the capitalist system can only lead to the further degradation and depletion of the earth’s precious non-renewable resources. The slogan of "sustainable development" is a slogan of the capitalists and imperialists to hide the reality that protection of the environment is in fact incompatible with the ruthless capitalist exploitation of human and natural resources. Working people and the enlightened intelligentsia must reject this slogan.

The working people are the ones really concerned about safeguarding the environment. This requires that society be so reorganised that the motive of production is not private appropriation. It requires that the motive of production be providing for the people, both the present generation and the successive generations. Once the question of providing for the people, of this generation as well as successive generations becomes the motive of production, the possibility of harmonising relations between society, which is part of nature, and nature as a whole, becomes fully realisable. The communists are one with the people fighting for the protection of the environment, but they take care to explain the root cause of the devastation of the environment. They also explain to the broad masses that they must fight, not for reforming the capitalist system and the capitalist states, but for their overthrow and for the building of a just socialist society, as the condition for harmonising the relations between society and nature.

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Crisis of capitalism deepens throughout the world

Overcapacity, in recent years, has resulted in capital moving further from the production sectors to the speculative economy and to the financial sector. This has been the main factor for the recent stock market bubble, particularly in the IT sector, and the financial sector scams. The continuation of the global recession, its deepening, and its synchronisation in major centres of capitalism around the world has revived the spectre of global depression which, if it happens, will have a devastating effect on the working people around the world.

The credibility of the entire capitalist system is under question everywhere among the people. Just in the US, the citadel of imperialism, a combination of massive frauds and speculation (which we reported in our previous issue) has wiped out $7 trillion of investor’s wealth, an amount that equals the annual gross domestic product (GDP) of the United States. This has wiped out the life savings of millions of Americans. The death and destruction that capitalism and imperialism have wrought upon the people of Africa and Latin America, the chain reaction of financial crises in Mexico, south-east Asia, Brazil and Russia in the nineties, the current chaos in the Argentinian economy, have all exposed the rottenness of the capitalist system of production, exchange and distribution and questioned its very viability.

One of the main features of finance capital is the concept of the "holding system" where one parent company controls several other daughter companies. In this way, it is possible, with a comparatively small capital to dominate immense spheres of production as is happening today. The Tatas and Ambanis hardly hold 20-30% of capital in their holding companies which in turn have a hold over the capital of many more enterprises. With this system, the Board of Directors of multinationals undertake much more riskier transactions that what an individual capitalist would do. The demise of WorldCom, the balance sheet jugglery of Xerox Corporation, etc., illustrate this point. Modern methods of preparing balance sheets not only conceal frauds and corrupt dealings from the ordinary shareholder, they also allow owners of multinationals to escape the consequences of unsuccessful speculation and sell away their shares before the actual downfall.

Whenever such frauds and scams come to light, the apologists of imperialism come out and offer all kinds of useless "solutions". Instead of revealing the mechanics of the formation of this financial capital, its abhorrent methods to defraud the people, the magnitude of its revenues through dubious transactions, its connections with the executive and the parliament, and so on, these apologists obscure the real fact that sleaze and corruption are the offspring of finance capital.

It is not just in the U.S. but in India too, and in all the capitalist countries, the biggest parties of the ruling class are completely in the service of corporations and multinationals. While George Bush is popularly perceived as President of Wall Street and not of the nation, his counterpart in India, Vajpayee, is coming out as the biggest defender of the Tatas, Ambanis and the Birlas. The monstrous facts concerning the monstrous rule of financial capital are so glaring that in all capitalist countries, from the USA to Japan, including India, even the bourgeois press has started clamouring for tighter regulations. The sordid revelations are also being used by multinationals to sort out their internecine battles. But, in spite of the posturing of the ruling class against corporate fraud, the scams seem to be only increasing in frequency and magnitude proving the fact that corruption and scams are fellow travellers of the capitalist system.

Millions of people across the world who have been deprived of their life savings by such frauds and corruption have come out in strong opposition to the tyranny of finance capital. From Washington to New Delhi, from Latin America to Japan, the Westminster type of "multi-party" democracies are increasingly being perceived by them as havens of the biggest scamsters, the greediest monopolies and the most unscrupulous politicians.

There is also immense hatred and anger building against the institutions that are supposed to provide "global economic governance" for global capitalism – the IMF, World Bank and the WTO. World capitalist forums from Washington to Chiang Mai to Prague have been challenged by massive demonstrations of people opposed to the parasitic nature of finance capital and its threat to national security and sovereignty.

The present crisis of capitalism once again confirms Lenin’s thesis about imperialism and the rule of finance capital as "moribund and decaying capitalism". It is time that the working class and people around the world make a break with the illusion that is perpetuated by the bourgeoisie and its apologists, that imperialism can somehow be "reformed" or that finance capital can be made to work in the interests of the people. The working class and people have to heighten their vigilance against the schemes of imperialism and the ruling class of their respective countries and step up their struggle against imperialism and the capitalist order.

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Oppose the Central Government’s decision to curtail powers of Delhi State Government!

The central government has consistently opposed granting statehood to Delhi for decades. The people and political forces of Delhi have been demanding statehood on par with people of other states. Finally, when Delhi was granted statehood, its powers were greatly restricted as compared to other states. Among other things, even the policing in Delhi comes under the Union Home Ministry. Now, the Central government has further restricted the already limited powers of the Delhi government.

The curtailment of the powers of Delhi government by the Central government must be roundly opposed. The Indian big bourgeoisie has established a unitary state with all powers concentrated in New Delhi and the states existing at the mercy of the Centre. The struggle of people of different states against the curtailment of powers is part of the struggle for the reorganisation of the Indian Union along democratic lines.

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Low interest rates help big companies

The financial performance of large companies during the first quarter of the current financial year, April 2002-March 2003, show how low interest rates are helping them to earn higher profit. A study of 802 companies shows that they reduced their interest cost by Rs. 1,138 crore from Rs. 5,223 crore to Rs. 4,095 crore during April-June 2002. The reduction in interest costs by 22 percent helped these companies to increase their profit by a hefty 46 percent. If this saving in interest cost was not available, the increase in profit of these companies would have been only 14 percent and 77 companies would have reported loss instead of profit.

During the last financial year, April 2001-March 2002, a saving in interest cost of Rs. 4,100 crore was reported by 2,270 companies due to reduction of interest rates.

Low interest rates is yet another way of making people pay for super-profits earned by big companies.

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Aggression on Iraq

The central premise of the US imperialist demand for being allowed to attack Iraq is a ‘regime change’. According to them, the current regime in Iraq presents a threat to the peace and security of the entire world, and must be removed by force. This premise of the US imperialists itself is most unprincipled and dangerous to the peace and sovereignty of all peoples and nations. It completely disregards the rights of peoples to have political and social systems of their own preference. What kind of political system Iraq has, and which individuals hold positions in its government is only a matter for the people of Iraq to decide and no one else.

Imposing political systems and regimes on various countries is an abominable practice imperialists have followed for long. The Paris Charter of 1991 drawn up by the imperialists at the end of the Cold War, for example, declared that if any country was to be declared "civilised", it must have a multi – party political system and a free market. All other countries and regimes are liable to be branded as rogues and attacked at will.

The US imperialist have been shouting themselves hoarse that the Saddam Hussein regime in Iraq is a threat to world peace, while the whole world knows well that the greatest threat to peace and sovereignty of the worlds’ peoples comes only from the US imperialists and their allies.

In the aftermath of the revolution in Iran in 1979 which overthrew the hated regime of the Shah of Iran, the US imperialist tried might and main to discredit the new regime in Iran and embroil it in war. The US imperialists were responsible for giving "weapons of mass destruction" in the first place to Iraq and instigating Iraq then to attack Iran. The US imperialists were responsible for the Iran – Iraq war which went on for almost a decade, killing thousands and wasting millions of dollars worth of resources.

It was the imperialists again who were responsible for Iraq attacking Kuwait in early 1990. They then came down heavily with all the forces of destruction at their command to subjugate Iraq, killing tens of thousands in the process. They used their clout in world bodies like the UN to impose various unequal and abhorrent conditions on Iraq. These included imposition of areas inside its territory where Iraq could not fly military aircraft, sending in teams of inspectors who could access all installations and "check for weapons and weapon factories" etc.

When the US imperialists sold weapons of mass destruction to Iraq in the eighties, was it legitimate, just because they were to be used against Iran, a country that they then wanted to embroil in war? When various imperialist powers aggress on other countries, are such conditions imposed on them? Clearly, the conditions imposed on Iraq, similar to the conditions imposed on Germany after the first world war, are essentially unequal, imbalanced and in fact unjust. While their stated purpose may be to stop war, they have in fact, an opposite effect.

The U S imperialists had earlier been harping on the fact that Iraq was not allowing weapons inspection teams to go in unhindered. This plank was however deftly removed by the Iraq government in the middle of September 2002, when they wrote a letter to the UN secretary general saying that they would allow international weapons inspectors to return "without conditions." The Iraq government said that its decision to unconditionally allow weapons inspectors back into the country had eliminated any reason for an attack.

Opposition to the war which the US imperialists want to unleash on Iraq is quite widespread. While the US was in fact quite isolated when it came out with its demand a few weeks ago, it has since worked might and main to force its allies to tow its’ line. Some countries like France have since said that if the UN sanctions an attack, they would be not be averse to being part of a multi national attack force. German Chancellor Schröder however has said that under him, Germany will neither help in any war against Iraq nor help pay for one. This stance has in fact been taken in the context of the election which he is now fighting and has reportedly been appreciated by the German people.

The U S imperialists have been working hard to convince their own people of the necessity to attack Iraq. In the ceremonies held to commemorate the September 11, 2001 attacks, the imperialist spokesmen have made use of the occasion to drum up anti – Iraq feelings. The US Congress must authorize the use of military force against Iraq before the UN Security Council votes on the issue, US Defense Secretary Rumsfeld insisted.

In a letter to the General Assembly, sent on 19^th September 2002, Saddam Hussein has declared that Iraq is clear of all nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. "The U.S. administration wants to destroy Iraq in order to control the Middle East oil, and consequently control the politics as well as the oil and economic policies of the whole world. If it succeeded in that, God forbid, it would dictate on you what each country needs for its economic development, what quantities of oil it is allowed to buy, and at what prices, along with other conditions. . . If there are any one amongst you who might still worry that the fabrications announced by American officials about Iraq may possibly be true, our country is ready to receive any scientific experts accompanied by politicians you choose to represent any one of your countries to tell us which places and scientific and industrial installations they would wish to see, particularly those about which the American officials have been fabricating false stories. . . ."

It is important that all freedom and peace – loving people staunchly oppose the US imperialist drive to attack Iraq.

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German opposition to US war plans reflected in elections

Germany witnessed powerful anti-war demonstrations, with working people expressing their opposition to Germany’s participation in US imperialism’s war plans against Iraq. Chancellor Gerhard Schröder and his Social Democratic Party and its’ coalition partner the Green Party were forced to take the stand that the war which the U S imperialists are seeking to unleash in Iraq was unjust. Schröder publicly declared that Germany under him would not commit troops for a war even if the United Nations eventually backs military action against Iraq.

Schröder ‘s challenger, Edmund Stoiber also took a stance opposing unilateral US action in Iraq but insisted that Germany must be ready to support any UN – backed action in Iraq, though not with front – line troops. In fact, the outrageous behavior of the U S imperialists, who have shown that they do not intend respecting international public opinion or indeed anything critical of their dangerous actions and selfish aims, was criticised by many politicians during the German election campaign, both from the ruling SDP – Green alliance as well as the opposition. Wolfgang Gerhardt, spokesman of the FDP party also was very critical of the US military doctrine of "preventive action" against whom they chose to brand as "terrorists" and "rogue states".

In sum, the ruling class parties in Germany were forced by the development of events to publicly declare their opposition to this to greater or lesser degree. The sharpening conflicts between German imperialism and Anglo-US imperialism over who should control the oil resources of Asia are likely to have played a major role in this development as well. It is being widely and openly speculated even amongst the bourgeois media worldwide that establishing control over the oil resources of Central and West Asia is part of the strategy of US imperialism and behind its desperation to overthrow the Saddam Hussain regime at this time. Various imperialist powers recognise that US control over oil will strangulate their long term imperialist plans and Germany is one such power.

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US imperialist arm twisting to obtain immunity for war crimes

It is well known that in recent times, imperialist military forces, especially those of the US, have committed genocide and very serious crimes. These include unwarranted bombings of unarmed civilians in Vietnam, in the Gulf War, in the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan, rape and murder of people, killing and torture and incarceration of prisoners of war in inhuman conditions, and more. All those who cherish human values abhor such crimes, hence the pressure on governments to set up courts and punish those guilty of such crimes. The US imperialists are the foremost criminals in these matters and it is clear that there are many incidents which they can be prosecuted for. They also have no intention of ceasing to commit such crimes.

The Bush administration is hence strongly opposed to the court, and has cited "concerns" that "Americans would be unfairly singled out for politically motivated prosecutions abroad". Last month, after debate over protection for American peacekeepers from the court's jurisdiction, the United Nations Security Council agreed to exempt United Nations peacekeepers from prosecution for a year. The Bush administration then started a campaign to persuade most countries to sign agreements not to extradite Americans for trial before the court. It warned foreign diplomats that under a new American law, their nations could lose American military assistance if they became members of the court without pledging to protect Americans serving in their countries from its reach. Romania and Israel have signed such agreements. Switzerland has said it will refuse to do so.

This arm twisting by the US imperialist shows once again that they are today the most heinous war criminals, and need to be stoutly opposed and checked by all peace and justice - loving people and governments.

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Indo-US naval collaboration

Admiral Singh is also reported to have held extensive discussions with the US naval top brass at the Pentagon and visited several US naval bases and facilities. His visit has also been accompanies with a lot of media hype about the "broadening and deepening military-to-military collaboration between the two countries and positive attitude of the US navy in working together with the Indian navy in the Indian Ocean region".

Just a few months ago, the US and Indian armed forces conducted an extensive joint training program in Agra. Defence ministers and secretaries and top officials of both countries have been busily visiting each other’s countries, planning, preparing and co-ordinating for various training programs and joint actions. The latest Indo-US naval exercises are a part of this growing collaboration.

The US imperialists have greatly stepped up their military and political interference in this region, in recent months, as part of their "global war against terrorism". Their aim is clearly to strengthen their stranglehold over South Asia, as a step towards achieving their domination world-wide. The ruling big bourgeoisie in India is collaborating with the US imperialists in this strategy, hoping to advance its narrow vision of aspiring to dominate over our neighbouring countries. In the process, it is gravely endangering the sovereignty of our nation, the lives of our people and peace and security in the region.

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The USA, we, the Brazilian people, and the elections in Brazil
By José Reinaldo Carvalho

However, either discreetly on the backstage or under the spotlights, the two officers from the White House came to feel the Brazilian political and economic juncture, define positions and impose conditions. This is the US imperialism reaching the stage of the current electoral struggle in Brazil, still in their usual way and within diplomatic limits, despite O'Neill's impertinence. The United States are not indifferent to the election of the president of the Republic in Brazil. The paths chosen  by our country may be decisive to the success or failure of the US imperialism's strategy towards the hemisphere.

This strategy deliriously aims at making the 21st century the 'Century of the Americas' - that is, the century of the United States - and is based on two pillars. The first one consists in assuring the full and free circulation of financial capitals at the expense of the independent development of national economies in all countries of the continent subordinated to the US dominion. The second pillar is the so-called 'fight against terrorism', which implies the struggle against revolutionary movements, nationalist and popular governments, such as Venezuela, and against the only socialist country in the Americas, Cuba. Even though the situation is not prone to coups d'état, this aspect of the US strategy towards the continent is reflected in its support to neoliberal governments and strengthens an elitist, antidemocratic and restrictive trend regarding liberties and social rights - ultimately, it is reflected in the creation of a political institutionality of authoritative character, even though it lies under the cover of constitutional normality.

Washington's heralds came to claim commitment to the realization of this strategy. And surreptitiously divulge the idea that either the Latin American countries accept that in order to keep their status as allied countries or they will face the onus of being listed as renegade ones. Thus  they outline the profile adequate to our future president. Someone committed to the FTAA, the 'fight against terrorism', the Colombia Plan, the blockade policy towards Cuba, someone willing to be a pawn for the United States. A midget statesman destined to enter into history with the stigma of an all-yielding bootlicker such as the last presidents of Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Peru etc. in those bitter years of neoliberalism. The political moves go hand in hand with the interference in the economic orientation in face of the financial crisis and the evidence that the neoliberal recipe has failed not only in Brazil, but all over the continent. Stagnated production, high unemployment rates, diminished labor income and financial strangulation, all phenomena resulting from the implementation of such recipe, characterize the Brazilian situation and constitute a heavy inheritance that President Fernando Henrique Cardoso' government will leave for his successor. The emissaries of the US government and the IMF board that is settling a new agreement with the Brazilian government pretentiously intend to outline the future economic management and demand that candidates repeat in unison their predisposition to apply this bitter recipe, the same one that has failed: the achievement of primary superavits, the policy of high interest rates and the religious payment of dues regarding foreign creditors.In such moments we must read and reread history.

What is good for them is not good for us, the Brazilian people. The United States are not willing to deal with statesmen, but with colony governors. We, the Brazilian people - struggle to find a new direction, a new policy, a new government identified with the national longings, able to transform this great country into a powerful nation. The election is an important episode and, in the present conditions, is a decisive one in this effort. It is at the same time struggle and movement. Should it be well conducted, it may prepare the conditions for the second and definitive independence of Brazil.

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