• May Day Rally in Delhi calls for an independent front of workers

• May Day marked by militant march and rally in Okhla, Delhi

• May day celebration in MFIL, Chennai

• May Day Rally in Mumbai

• Letter to the Editor

• Karl Marx—the revolutionary leader and teacher of the international proletariat

• Revelations of torture and sadism by Anglo American forces in Iraq:Make the imperialists pay for their crimes!

• Liberalisation of Foreign Trade in Agricultural Commodities:
  Fattening the monopoly capitalists and betraying the peasantry

• Workers speak their mind on May Day 2004 . . .

• Opening Session of World Tribunal on Iraq Held in Brussels

May Day Rally in Delhi calls for an independent front of workers

Youth and worker activists of the Communist Ghadar Party of India militantly participated in the rally. They distributed thousands of copies of the party paper Mazdoor Ekta Lehar and the statement of the party in the context of the current Lok Sabha elections. The literature of the party was warmly received by the workers.

Correspondents of the Mazdoor Ekta Lehar conducted extensive interviews with workers of different sectors and trade unions, on the major issues facing the working class today (See Box).

Addressing the May Day rally, the spokesperson of Mazdoor Ekta Committee, Comrade Sucharita, called upon the workers to reject both the BJP and the Congress fronts in the current elections. “Two features are significant in the present period”, she explained. Firstly, awareness among workers has increased, on privatisation & globalisation. They are coming forward and participating in demonstrations and strikes in defence of their common interests. In February, more than 6 crore workers throughout India united, cutting across party lines and trade union affiliations, and organised a nation-wide strike. For over 5 years, workers of Modern Food Industries have been carrying on a heroic struggle against its privatisation. At a time when the bourgeoisie is all set to go about privatising one public sector company after another, the consistent struggle of the workers of Modern Food has forced even the Prime minister to sit up and take notice and institute a special committee to look into the conditions of the workers after the privatisation of that company.

The second issue, she raised, was the timing of elections. Now, the rulers have called for elections many months before they were due, since their privatisation program got stalled due to the opposition of the working class and all sections of the working people. Whichever party gets a majority in the current elections, it will continue with the anti-people reform program, giving the justification that people have given them the mandate, Sucharita stressed. They want to break the unity of workers, that was so visible in the February strike, using the elections and in the name of backing this or that party of the capitalists. As soon as they come to power, they want to amend the labour laws so that the capitalists drive for profits will be unhindered. They will declare that they have the people's mandate to spread communal violence and fascist terror. Our rulers have joined hands with US imperialism and want to send Indians as cannon fodder for the wars of the imperialists. They are interfering in the affairs of our neighbouring countries and increasing the danger of imperialist intervention in this region. They have been spreading state terrorism, and implementing draconian laws such as POTA. They are cutting back on our right to strike and other rights won by the working class through long years of struggle and sacrifice.

She emphasised that we workers, who constitute the majority of Indian people, should have our own independent program and our own independent front, without the bourgeoisie and against the bourgeoisie. It is unfortunate that there is no worker candidate for these parliamentary elections from any of the major cities where there has been a long tradition of a strong organised working class movement. Probably there is pressure on our struggle, from within our movement, to support some other party of the capitalists in the name of defeating the BJP, she suggested. This should not be allowed to happen. We workers cannot allow ourselves to be turned into a vote bank for this or that party of the bourgeoisie. Ours is the program to wrest political power from the bourgeoisie and build our alternative economic and political system, which will guarantee livelihood and security to all the working people of urban and rural India. We have to win over our peasant brothers and all the oppressed around our program. Only this can lead to a lasting solution to this exploitation and oppression. Sucharita concluded with the passionate call that “Let's pledge that by next May Day we will have our own independent program and chalk out our own strategy to defeat the plans of the bourgeoisie".

Speakers from the other participating unions also addressed the gathering and called upon the workers to unite and give a fitting reply to the onslaught of the rulers on our rights, won through much struggle and sacrifice. The spokesperson of the UTUC (LS) enthused the workers with a militant song, urging the workers to not tail behind one or other party of the bourgeoisie but to defeat the rule of the bourgeoisie and usher in the socialist revolution.

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May Day marked by militant march and rally in Okhla, Delhi

The Mazdoor Ekta Committee fully supported the initiative of the organising unions and forces in Okhla for a united May Day manifestation and participated in the rally.

The march began at the District Park, Okhla Gol Chakkar, and culminated in a rally at Tuglakhabad Extension. Participating in the rally were hundreds of workers in the leather and hosiery industry and a large number of Nepali workers, including women.

The rally began with the hoisting of the red flag and a salute to the martyrs of the working class. The speeches at the rally exhorted the workers to step up the united struggle against capitalism and imperialism. The speeches were interspersed with progressive and revolutionary songs and a play. The play exposed the "Feel Good" propaganda of the NDA government as well as the political system and political process. The rally concluded with the singing of the Internationale.

The speaker of the Mazdoor Ekta Committee called on the workers to strengthen their unity and step up the struggle against the anti-social offensive of the bourgeoisie, of globalisation through liberalisation and privatisation, of curtailing the rights of the working class, of increased communal and fascist violence and state terrorism. It is the result of the growing unity and determined struggle of the working class, that the privatisation program of the bourgeoisie has got stuck temporarily. That is why they have called for early elections, so that no matter which party comes to power, they can further intensify the attacks on the working class, claiming that they now have the people's mandate to do so. Our rulers are allying themselves closely with US and other imperialists and interfering in the affairs of our neighbouring countries, thus greatly endangering peace and security in the subcontinent. In the name of defeating the present NDA government, there is pressure on the working class movement to ally with other sections of the bourgeoisie, he cautioned. How long will the working class continue to remain sidelined, as vote banks and cheer-leaders for this or that criminal bourgeois political party, he asked. The times are calling on the working class of India to boldly put forth its alternative program and alternative vision of a society wherein the livelihood and security of all the working and oppressed will be ensured. He concluded with a rousing call to build the independent fighting front of the working class and to rally the peasantry and all other oppressed sections around it, to defeat the program of the bourgeoisie and carry forward the alternative program of the working class, of establishing worker-peasant rule.

Many of the speakers pointed out how the policies of the government have led to great insecurity of livelihood of workers in the leather and hosiery industry, which are linked to the world market. Liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation have wrought disaster on the Indian working class and peasantry, with skyrocketing prices, mounting unemployment and job losses. In the interest of the capitalist class, the government is planning to introduce legislations to curtail the rights of workers to organise in unions. It is planning legislation to facilitate hire and fire and closure of factories. It is increasing the scope for contract labour.

It was also pointed out that the anti-working class attacks of the governments are mounting and the courts are being used for this purpose, as in the case of the Supreme Court ruling on strikes, and the rulings on closure of industries in Delhi, in the name of "controlling pollution". In Delhi, the government has finalised plans to uproot the millions of workers living in slums, in the name of beautifying the city. Workers are forced to work 14-16 hours a day, to live in inhuman conditions. Women workers are paid less then male workers, both of whom rarely get even the official "minimum wages".

Speakers emphasised that that the working class has the responsibility today, not only to fight for the 8 hour day, but to fight for the destruction of the capitalist system of exploitation and the establishment of worker-peasant rule. Today, workers all over the world are opposing US imperialism and its military intervention in various countries. The Indian state, which is labelled a democracy, is supporting the Nepalese monarchy in crushing the democratic strivings of the people there. It is the internationalist duty of Indian working class to support the revolutionary democratic struggle of the fraternal Nepali people.

The speakers pointed out that the unity of the working class in struggle against the capitalist class is crucial to achieve the immediate as well as strategic aims of the class. The May Day manifestation in Okhla, where unions and organisations of workers have come together to wage a common struggle, is a positive development. The unanimous call was for the workers to step up the struggle against capitalism and imperialism, to repeal all the anti-working class laws, to abolish the contract labour system, to end the oppression of women, and the repression of the struggles of workers and peasants.

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May day celebration in MFIL, Chennai

Thiru Baskar greeted MFIL workers for their continued struggle against the attacks of the management. He recollected to the workers the efforts Workers' Unity Movement had been taking right from the time when government started talking about privatizing of MFIL. He recalled his meeting in 2000 with MFIL Chennai Union leaders and that some people have created illusions amongst workers that Hindustan Lever being a multinational company will provide good working conditions and fat pay after take over, etc. Having studied the track record of Hindustan Lever Ltd, Workers Unity Movement cautioned the workers not to get misled and to fight against privatization. The experience till date after the takeover has proved the same to the workers.

He also explained to the workers the importance of this May day in the midst of the 14th Lok Sabha elections. This is the day to take pledge to unite and fight to improve the working conditions of the working class and to fight for a fundamental change in the political and economical system. Today the working class is being divided and being made to tail one capitalist party or the other. Unless the working class puts its own agenda to the forefront, there is no going forward. He asked why could not the working class and its organizations together put demands like "End to privatization, liberalization and globalization" and "Work for all" and go to the electorate.

He said unless the workers put forward their vision of the society and come up their independent demands, the attacks on them will continue. He expressed optimism that the majority of the working people can unite and can smash up this exploiting system and build our own in its place. May day program ended with firm resolve to work to build up the unity of the MFIL workers and continue the fight against the attacks of the capitalist class.

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Unorganised workers met near Uzhaipalar Silai to celebrate May day.

Around a hundred workers from various unions of the Unorganised workers, came together near the Uzhaipalar Silai at Marina beach in Chennai pledging to unite and struggle for their rights.

Thirumathi Geetha led the meeting. Various leaders spoke on the importance of the May day and how in the 14th Lok Sabha elections, we should put forward our demands to whoever comes to us for vote. Professor from Loyola college Dr. Shanmuga Velayudham, who has done a study on the election manifestoes of various regional and national parties on this election, read the promises stated in these manifestoes and concluded that none of these parties have stated they will do anything for the common people and workers. A representative from Makkalatchi Iyyakkam spoke, where he elaborated on the need for us to build peoples committees in working places and places of residence to bring about unity in action on very urgent issues facing us.

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WUM organizes May day

Workers Unity Movement (Thozhilalar Otrrumai Iyyakkam) called for a discussion on the occasion of May day, 2004. Around 10 trade union activists had attended the meeting from various organizations. The organizations include the following:

Tamil Nadu Press Workers Union.
Viduthalai Iyyakka Thozhilalar Munnani.
Thiruvalluvar Uzhaippalar Sangam.
Tamil Nadu Aluminium and Steel Workers Union.
Tata Iron and Steel Contract Workers Union.
Thiru.Vi.Ka Thozhir Sanga Peravai.

There was a lively discussion on the way forward in this election and later. Most of the discussion has centered around the program put forward by Makkalatchi Iyakkam on the elections. Some of the Union leaders questioned the practicality of the line that we should form committees in each and every area and fight for the fulfillment of various demands of the people. Some of them said that workers are behind caste based issues and not looking at the events on class angle. WUM spokesperson has clarified that the key driver of all issues such as caste oppression, corruption and backwardness is the oppression by the ruling capitalist classes. Hence it is necessary that all forces who want to end caste oppression, communal violence and exploitation should come forward to unite & fight against the capitalist class and to-day's political system. Following the lively discussion of the practical issues, it was decided to take forward this initiative to build the working class unity and smash up the attacks of the capitalist class.

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May Day Rally in Mumbai

Workers started gathering at Kamgar Maidan from 3 pm. Activists of CGPI interviewed groups of workers on the need for the working class to build the independent program for the renewal of India and to lead all the oppressed people of India against the ruling bourgeoisie. Workers from Goodlass Nerolac Paints, Hindustan Lever, Food Corporation of India, railway workers, teachers and bank employees were interviewed. There was a unanimous opinion that to defeat the offensive of the bourgeoisie workers must build a front of all the toilers without the bourgeoisie and against the bourgeoisie.

At 5 pm the procession started led by a band and with the bursting of firecrackers all along the route, over a thousand workers marched under their respective banners through the working class areas of Parel and LalBaugh towards Maharashtra High School Maidan at Currey Road. Militantly shouting slogans denouncing the rule of the rich and hailing the new dawn, the rule of the working class and the unity of the toilers all over the world, under the red flags of the working class, the march brought thousands of workers and their families onto their balconies, rooftops and windows to remind them of the importance of Workers Day.

The procession reached Maharashtra High School Maidan at 5.45 pm and the meeting started at 6pm. Representatives of Kamgar Ekta Chalwal (KEC), AITUC, CITU, HMS, Kamgar Aghadi, Sarva Shramik Sanghathana, AIFTU, Railway Workers, Electricity Workers, State Government Employees, Bank Employees and Teachers addressed the meeting.

The representative from Kamgar Ekta Chalwal, hailed the growing unity among the working class against the bourgeois program of privatisation and liberalisation. He pointed out that irrespective of whichever party comes to power in the coming elections, the new government would try to implement the agenda of the big bourgeoisie which had already been decided. This included measures to speed up privatisation, change in labour laws, increased military spending to build up India as an imperialist power threatening all its neighbours, fascisation of the state and further communalising the polity. He called on the working class to build the independent front of all the toilers around an immediate program directed against the bourgeoisie and without the bourgeoisie. He explained that the main obstacle towards building this front was the harmful line spread among the working class that defeating the BJP led alliance was the main objective of the working class and to this end supporting the Congress as the lesser evil. He explained that both the Congress and BJP were parties of the big bourgeoisie and reminded the workers of the 1984 massacre of people of Sikh faith led by the Congress Party. He also pointed out that the Congress Party was openly claiming credit for being the first party to implement the program of privatisation. He said supporting the Congress Party was equivalent to supporting the big bourgeoisie behind the Congress Party. He explained that it could never be the aim of the working class to replace the BJP led Government with a Congress led Government. This would restrict the working class to becoming a tail of the bourgeoisie. On the contrary, it was the strategic aim of the working class to bury both BJP and Congress as well as to dig the grave of the big capitalist class behind both these parties. He called on the working class to take the historic initiative, develop the independent program of the working class, unite all the oppressed sections behind it and build a new India. On the immediate agenda he decried that during the current Lok Sabha elections there were no candidates of the working class in Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, etc and called on the workers to put up their own candidates during the coming assembly elections in Maharashtra, who would put forward the independent program of the working class, against the bourgeoisie and without the bourgeoisie. The speech of the representative of KEC was received with applause from the assembled workers.

The meeting ended at 8 pm and the workers dispersed, reflecting on the battles looming on the horizon and determined to carry out their historic mission of ushering in a new world.

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Letter to the Editor

There are frequent reports in the international media, especially in the imperialist mouthpiece organs of CNN and BBC, that there has been much soul searching by the American policy makers about the 'mistakes' that were committed after the fall of the Saddam Hussein regime. Notable among these are the disbanding of the Iraqi army, the prevention of 'Baathist elements' into the new administration to name a few. Of course, this serves to cover up the fact that what one is seeing in Iraq is a genuine liberation struggle, and not simply disgruntled elements that are bent on mischief. Also, the liberation struggle is painted as a 'Shiite' uprising or as 'Sunni' resistance, while the facts are completely at odds with such characterisation.

Nevertheless, one important matter that deserves some attention is the special dislike the imperialist propaganda machine reserves for the Baathists. Indeed, the history of the Arab part of the world, which in reality is a linguistic definition, which is again incorrectly portrayed as a religious characterisation, is one of tragedy in the last century or so with constant and consistent big power interference and carving and recarving of the region, along lines most beneficial to the interests of imperialism, and in particular those of big oil companies and financial institutions that benefit from the immense revenues of the region. In general, the imperialist powers have always backed reactionary tribe-based political formations, that lead to despotic monarchies in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates to name a few, where the peoples of the countries enjoy very little democratic rights. On the other side has been the consistent impulse of Arab nationalism, which culminated briefly even in the formation of the United Arab Republic, which was soon to disintegrate. The so-called Baathist regimes arose in this context and stood as a challenge to the regimes of hereditary despotic monarchs.

Indeed, it is probably this background which invites the hatred and wrath of the imperialists towards the Baathists, and progressive forces must stay wary of incorrect characterisation of such historical trends that are designed to benefit imperialism. Nevertheless, the painful history of Iraq also shows that the refusal of countries to sort out their problems, internal and external, based on principles and the highest ideals will invite great tragedies. Indeed, the hysterical bashing of Baatish ideas could be the basis for future military action again, say, Syria, and progressive forces must be ever watchful of such imperialist designs.

Sincerely,
S. Grover, New York

Sir,

The elections to the 14th Lok Sabha have begun with the first phase of polling concluded in several contituencies in Karnataka. There are simultaneous elections also to the Legislative Assembly. There is considerable suspense in the air about what the outcome is likely to be. It is widely expected that Karnataka will elect a large number of MPs from the Bharatiya Janata Party, while it seems likely that the incumbent Chief Minister Mr. S. M. Krishna will come back to power.

To the largest fraction of the population, of course, there will be little difference from the outcome. At the level of the Lok Sabha the alienation of the electorate from the elected has never been greater. While the stories of the common man center around matters of livelihood, drinking water, a roof over one's head, enough food on the plate and safe transportation, to name a few issues, the members of the Lok Sabha are not likely to bring any of these to the common man. The main aim of the elected will be to find ministerial berths in the new Government since it it has been projected that the BJP is likely to be the single largest party and is expected to cobble together a 'stable' coalition Government that will see a full term. At the level of the Assembly there is significantly more anxiety, since a large number of vested interests would like to see a continuation of the policies adopted by the Krishna Government and have invested a lot in currying favour in the corridors of power. It is instructive to spend a few moments thinking about the candidates that are running from Bangalore South constituency: Mr. Ananth Kumar of the BJP who is one of the important leaders of the party in Karnataka, who was just seen campaining with none other than the notorious Mr. Narendra Modi, and Mr. 'Layout' Krishnappa of the Congress, who had earned the nickname from his vast realestate empire and construction business in the many residential layouts scattered across Bangalore.

This state of affairs then begs the question as to what the future is really likely to be. On the one hand, the main stream media has been projecting the notion that India is somehow shining, while sections of the media debate whether it is the policies of the BJP or in reality it is the 'vision' of former Congress Governments that should claim the 'credit' for this shine. This shine, unfortunately, last lustre for the largest fraction of the population of the country. One of the important tasks that faces progressive forces is the need to completely expose these two most important of the parties of the bourgeoisie. They must be shown to represent none but the interests of the rich and the propertied, and that they compete with each other to please the bourgeoisie, at times in consonance with the tunes of international financial institutions, and transnational companies, and at times not. They must be shown as those that dupe the people in the name of patriotism, national security, national pride and a host of other bogus slogans, while in fact they represent the most notorious and base elements of the Indian political spectrum.

Another important task is to expose thoroughly the phony and bogus debates centred around the alleged 'secularism' of the Congress and its logical counterpart, viz., 'communalism' of the BJP. These debates are precisely those that are engineered by the bourgeoisie to somehow say that the problem with the Indian polity is with parties, rather than with the British state that has been inherited with the rulers. Thus, challenging times lie ahead for the progressive forces in the country.

Sincerely,
A. Narayan,Bangalore

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Karl Marx—the revolutionary leader and teacher of the international proletariat

The Marxist doctrine is comprehensive and harmonious, providing the working class with an integral world outlook irreconcilable with any form of superstition, reaction, or defence of bourgeois oppression.

"Marx deepened and developed philosophical materialism to the full, and extended the cognition of nature to include the cognition of human society . His historical materialism was a great achievement in scientific thinking. The chaos and arbitrariness that had previously reigned in views on history and politics were replaced by a strikingly integral and harmonious theory, which shows how, in consequence of the growth of productive forces, out of one system of social life another and higher system develops…" (VI Lenin, The three sources and three component parts of Marxism)

Recognising that the economic system is the foundation on which the political superstructure is erected, Marx devoted his greatest attention to the study of the economic system. Marx's principal work, Capital, is devoted to the study of capitalist society. The doctrine of surplus value is the corner stone of Marx's economic theory. Marx pointed out that capitalism was bound to spread its tentacles all over the world, but this was only the prelude to the triumph of labour over capital.

Karl Marx developed the doctrine of the class struggle. He showed that the history of class society is the history of class struggle, and this class struggle in the conditions of capitalism must necessarily lead to the establishment of the dictatorship of the proletariat as a prelude to the establishment of classless communist society.

The fundamental teachings and conclusions of Karl Marx constitute the invaluable torch illuminating and enlightening the proletariat and peoples of the whole world in the struggle to destroy the capitalist system and usher in socialism and communism.

Revelations of torture and sadism by Anglo American forces in Iraq:
Make the imperialists pay for their crimes!

The public exposure of torture of Iraqi detainees by US soldiers, as well as torture of other Iraqis by British soldiers once again exposes the utterly cynical and hypocritical propaganda that allegedly it is "concern" about violation of human rights and "concern" about the denial of freedom to the Iraqi people that made it go for "regime change" in Iraq. It joins the long list of falsehoods that the Anglo-American imperialists repeated time and again, in Nazi fashion, prior to the aggression on Iraq last year, including the existence of weapons of mass destruction possessed by the erstwhile regime.

Indeed the revelations of torture, sadism and sexual humiliation of Iraqis by the Anglo–American imperialists shows that they have outdone even the Nazis in their depravity and brutality. In the face of the outrage from the people of the world, Bush and Blair and their henchmen have sought to put on a mask of "innocence" and "ignorance", and sought to declare these as "aberrations". But, as even many with their own military establishments have pointed out, these detestable activities followed a pattern very consistent with the aims of the imperialists.

These activities were and are carried out to crush opposition to the occupation and imposition of an order in Iraq which serves the Anglo–American imperialists at the cost of the Iraqi and Arab peoples. Its aim is to destroy the age–old civilisation of the Iraqi people and fashion a society in their own ‘democratic', neo–colonial image. It is in line with the practices employed by the British when they colonised India and other countries, in line with their practices against the Irish people. It is in line with the well–documented abhorrent practices employed against the Vietnamese people by the American imperialists in the nineteen seventies and more recently in Guantanamo Bay and elsewhere.

The people of Iraq, supported by the peoples of the world, demand that the Anglo–American imperialists quit Iraq immediately and compensate the Iraqi people for all the destruction, death and damage they have caused. The chieftains and generals of the Anglo–American imperialists must be put on trial and punished for the long list of crimes they have committed against the people of Iraq and the world.
Throw the Anglo – American imperialists out of Iraq and make them pay for their crimes!

Liberalisation of Foreign Trade in Agricultural Commodities:
Fattening the monopoly capitalists and betraying the peasantry

•  lowering of import duties on agricultural and allied products; and

•  lifting of quantitative restrictions (QRs) on primary imports and exports.

Such policy changes have enabled Indian and foreign capitalist trading monopolies to accelerate agricultural imports and exports of India, and reap enormous profits in the bargain.

The value of imports of agricultural products was only one-seventh the value of agricultural exports in 1991-92 (see figure). Over the next 10 years, imports have risen faster than exports. As a result, by 2002-03 agricultural imports amounted to Rs. 15,600 crore, about one half of the value of exports.

Flood of imports

Among agricultural imports, the fastest growing item has been the category called vegetable oils, which rose from Rs. 200 crore at the beginning of the 1990s to 8000 crore by the end of the decade. Imports of pulses have risen from Rs. 250 crore to Rs. 2560 crore during the same period. Import of raw cotton rose after the lifting of QRs, from negligible amounts to 2.3 lakh tonnes in 1999-00 and to 3.9 lakh tonnes by 2001-02, valued at over Rs. 2000 crore.

Productivity of oilseeds cultivation in Indonesia and Malaysia, on modern capitalist farms and plantations, is much higher than in India, where the average scale of operations is smaller, with millions of peasant farms involved. The productivity of solvent extraction is also much higher when it is organised on a large-scale capitalist basis as compared to small-scale units. The opening up of the country's gates to imported edible oils has converted India into the largest importer in the world of this group of commodities, with untold suffering for the peasants and small-scale units.

Capitalist monopoly trading corporations from South East Asia have entered the Indian edible oils business in a big way. The new entrants include the US based multinational Cargill, the South-East Asian palm oil conglomerate Wilmar, Bunge Agribusiness Singapore, Kowa Company of Japan and Felda Palm Industries of Malaysia. Such global and regional giants have entered into collaboration with Indian capitalist firms (see Box).

Rapid rise in imports has led to a sharp deterioration in the terms of trade facing various sections of peasants, such as the growers of oilseeds and cotton. Several other crops have also suffered due to adverse terms of trade changes following the lifting of QRs. In Kerala, for instance, peasants are reeling under the crash of prices in pepper, arecanut, cardamom and rubber, which are among the main sources of livelihood in that state.

Food exports

Among agricultural and allied product exports, the fastest growing items have been rice, wheat, sugar and meat. Exports of basmati and non-basmati rice rose from Rs. 750 crore in 1991-92 to Rs. 5400 crore by 2002-03. Sugar and wheat exports rose from about Rs. 150 crore each to over Rs. 1500 crore each. Meat exports rose from Rs. 250 crore to Rs. 1300 crore.

Rice, wheat and sugar are among the principal commodities that are stocked up by the Government of India and distributed through the Public Distribution System (PDS). The export of these commodities has been rising rapidly, by over 20% annually, when per-capita food consumption in the country has been stagnant or falling. This shows that although it is called a ‘public' system, the PDS is not really managed in the interest of providing protection, either to the peasantry or to those who rely on the PDS for their food supply.

Betrayal of the peasantry

The votaries of liberalisation argue that (i) the Indian peasantry stands to gain from new export markets; and that (ii) all Indian consumers of agricultural products stand to gain from having access to imported goods. What this argument hides, or leaves in the shade, is the fact that the peasantry as well as the consumers of imported food items are at the mercy of capitalist trading monopolies that dominate the global market and corner the benefits of international commodity trade.

Profits from the rapid growth in imports of edible oils, for instance, has gone primarily into the pockets of the private trading companies that sell foreign made oils in the Indian market. Profits from exports are generally cornered by the exporting company, and not by the peasants who produce what is being exported.

Discontent is high among the peasantry about successive governments in New Delhi having failed to defend their rights and protect their interests. While the Congress Party supervised the entry of India into the WTO, the BJP supervised the lifting of QRs and implementation of other measures to fulfill the WTO stipulations. Both these parties have tried to present themselves as “pro-peasant” during the campaign to the 14 th Lok Sabha elections, while remaining committed to the liberalisation and privatisation program.

Peasants have every right to demand that the Government of India must ensure protection for the tillers of the land, from the rapacious drive of monopoly capital. They have every right to demand that the lifting of QRs and reduction of import tariffs on agricultural commodities be reversed. They must join hands with the working class to demand that the Central Government must take charge of foreign trade so as to protect the livelihood of peasants and guarantee food supply to the urban workers.

State protection for the peasantry must include the use of varied instruments including tariff protection and quantitative restrictions, on imports and on exports, as required in the case of different commodities at different times. To give up the right to use these instruments, in the name of complying with the WTO stipulations, as both the Congress led and BJP led governments have done, means to betray the interests of the peasantry, for the sake of delivering maximum profits to the big capitalists, Indian and international.

Foreign Investments in Indian Edible Oil Trade

More foreign investment came into India's edible oils industry in 2002 than in the rest of food and food products put together.

The most recent entrants in oil trading include Bunge Agribusiness Singapore, which is setting up a wholly-owned subsidiary for importing and wholesale marketing of crude palm, palmolein, soya and other soft oils. The Malaysian government's Felda Palm Industries SDN has tied up with IVP for importing, trading, and marketing palm oil and its fractions. Malaysia's FELCRA Berhard is setting up a Rs 3.6 crore company for trading palm oil in bulk to institutional buyers.

Singapore's leading broker, Gary Seaton, has picked up 60% equity in a collaboration with Mysore Agro Commodities to import edible oils. Malaysia's KUOK already has an informal trading agreement with Liberty Oil Mills.

Foreign capital is also flowing into liquid cargo ports, to cater to the increase in edible oil imports. Kowa Company of Japan has invested Rs 23.40 crore in Adani Port in Gujarat, for developing back-up facilities in storage and cargo handling equipment. Antarika Resource of Mauritius has invested in Ruchi Infrastructure, for leasing and renting oil storage tanks in East Godavari district.

The new refineries which received government permission this year include Acalpo Wilmar's wholly-owned vanaspati plant in Kakinada, with an investment of Rs 3 crore. Wilmar, the biggest palm oil conglomerate in the region, already owns one of India's largest refineries in collaboration with the Adani group.

Cargill Asia Pacific, parent company of Cargill India, is setting up an edible oil refining unit at Paradeep, on owned and leased basis.

Bunge, the world's largest soya bean crusher, is now expanding operations. Along with Siam Stock Holdings (Mauritius) and Ceval International, Bunge Mauritius is setting up a plant in Bundi (Rajasthan), at in investment of Rs 12.3 crore. Bunge has also leased more soya crushing capacity in Indore to increase its market share.

Most recently, Malaysia's Premium Vegetable Oils has tied up with Arani Agro Oils for a refinery in Kakinada. The foreign company will own 74% equity, with an investment of Rs 4.44 cr.

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Workers speak their mind on May Day 2004 . . .

•  On the Supreme Court order curbing the workers' right to strike

Workers felt that (a) it was the only way to stand up for their fundamental rights as workers and so they could not give this up at any cost (b) the ban was a precondition placed by foreign monetary institutions and MNC's before investing in India, to safeguards their super-normal profits.

•  On state repression

Workers expressed their opposition to POTA in no uncertain terms, and to other draconian laws aimed at attacking the fighting unity of the working class in the futile hope of terrorising them into submission.

•  On the present conditions of labour

Since Sahib Singh Verma became the Labour Minister, even the existing structure of labour laws is being systematically changed to suit the interests of the big capitalists and multinationals.

Despite the innumerable sacrifices of workers, as symbolised by May Day, even today, especially in India, wherever there is no unity among the workers, a working day consists of 12-14 hours or even more, but wherever the workers are united, through unyielding struggle an 8-hour working day has been achieved.

Any attempt to build worker unity, even within a particular factory or organisation, is sought to be subverted by the capitalists by buying off some of the workers, who then work for the interests of the capitalists and betray the interests of the rest of the workers.

- Planned attacks on the working class

• Further cutback in labour rights under pressure from multinationals and foreign monetary organisations
• Plans to sell off the public sector, that is the country's property, allowing the country to get re-colonised, at the expense of the interests of the working class
• Increased state repression, the first victims of which are the workers, especially women and children.

- How workers should respond in these conditions

• Staunchly oppose the bourgeoisie's efforts to curb the right to strike, because it is the workers' final resort
• Oppose POTA and other forms of state repression
• Oppose the intervention of the Indian state in the affairs of other countries, including Iraq, Afghanistan and Nepal
• Stand by our worker sisters and brothers in these and other countries, facing the imperialist onslaught
• Put up worker candidates in as many constituencies as possible, to offer an alternative to the people of this country, from the bourgeois parties
• Fight for the right to recall the elected representatives in the event of non-performance or mis-performance; demand regular account of expenditure of public money by these elected representatives
• Oppose the bourgeoisie's claim that socialism stands defeated; build workers' unity and prove the bourgeoisie wrong
• The BJP, Congress and other bourgeois parties have ruled and denied real independence to the vast majority of Indian people. The turn is now of the working class to come to helm of affairs of the country.

The overwhelming feeling one got when talking with the workers participating in the May Day rallies in Delhi was that they are conscious of the great challenges ahead. There is a mood of anger against the bourgeoisie as well as a mood of optimism that the working class can indeed defeat the bourgeoisie and its onslaught. The urge for unity of the class breaking party and trade union barriers was overriding. There is also growing consciousness that the working class must not remain tied to the coat tails of the bourgeoisie as electoral vote banks. As one worker said, revolutionary storms are on the horizon. We must prepare for them and not lose the opportunity that is being provided for us!

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Opening Session of World Tribunal on Iraq Held in Brussels

* * *

Consistent with the tradition of the 1967 Russell Tribunal on the Vietnam War and the work of the People's Permanent Tribunal and other similar tribunals such as the one held in Brussels in 1991, the Brussels Tribunal met on April 14-17, 2004. This Tribunal is the opening session of the World Tribunal on Iraq, a series of hearings scheduled to conclude in Istanbul in 2005.

The Brussels Tribunal focused on the programs and policies proposed by "The Project for the New American Century" (PNAC), a predominantly neo-conservative "think-tank" that has advocated global U.S. hegemony, primarily through the threat or use of military power.

The objective of the Tribunal, working as a commission of inquiry, was to establish whether there was a link between PNAC's proposals and the foreign and military strategy of the current U.S. government, and the subsequent invasion and occupation of Iraq. The Commission also examined the impact of policies and programs advocated by PNAC on the stability and security of international relations.

To establish its findings and shape its report the Commission heard testimony from specialists on international affairs and witnesses knowledgeable about the current conditions in Iraq. The Commission also relied on PNAC's reports and official U.S. government documents, as well as written analyses. [ 1 ]

The Commission came to the following conclusions:

1. The PNAC program consists of three main components: 1. to establish U.S. hegemony in the new century, relying primarily on military and technological superiority; 2. to prevent the emergence of any competing global or regional powers by imposing what is sometimes termed a "Pax Americana"; 3. to exercise pre-emptive action against all perceived threats to American "interests" and security.

2. A significant number of signatories to PNAC's 1997 founding Statement of Principles became senior members of the current U.S. administration, including Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld and Paul Wolfowitz. The adoption of those principles by this administration is evidenced by official White House documents such as "The National Security Strategy" of September 2002. These principles have been put into action through the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

3. According to a clear majority of States and a large consensus of legal experts, the invasion of Iraq constitutes an act of aggression, a breach of one of the most fundamental norms of the international legal order. This demonstrates that the implementation of policies emanating from PNAC and endorsed by the current administration runs counter to the principles of the UN Charter and undermines the United Nations itself, which bears the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.

4. The invasion of Iraq has resulted in more than 10,000 civilian deaths. With each passing day of occupation, the number of victims grows, as do the gross violations of humanitarian law and human rights, such as arbitrary detention, ill-treatment and deprivation in regard to basic needs. The situation of the Iraqi people has clearly deteriorated and the promises of democracy and freedom have proved to be illusory. The constant use of the words "democracy," "freedom" and "human rights" in such a context amounts to a complete perversion of those terms.

5. Far from bringing stability and peace in Iraq and the region, the invasion and occupation have created instability and chaos. Moreover, the deliberate destruction of Iraq has effectively promoted the Israeli government's policies of further unlawful expansion and de facto annexation of territories as well as further annihilation of the rights of the Palestinian people. The Tribunal noted that PNAC itself called explicitly in 2002 for the U.S. administration to align itself with the views of the Israeli government. These developments increase hostility between the peoples of the region and the West, contrary to the proclaimed objectives of making the world a safer place.

6. There is evidence of a consistent U.S. strategy, as envisioned by the PNAC report entitled "Rebuilding America's Defences," to establish global domination by military means. Contrary to claims that this domination would be a "benevolent hegemony," it is more likely to lead to a state of permanent war. PNAC policies are based on brutal unilateralism and disregard for legality. As such, the ideas of PNAC constitute an intellectual crime. The war in Iraq is only one element of a global agenda which is linked with logic of the dominant economic system, inspired by neo-conservative ideology and supported by religious fundamentalism.

7. Due to the growing resistance encountered by the occupying powers in Iraq and other unanticipated difficulties, the United States and United Kingdom have made cynical requests for the involvement of the United Nations in Iraq, thereby pre-empting the sovereign rights of the Iraqi people to determine their future. The United Nations should avoid complicity with -- let alone legitimise in any way -- the illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq. Any such action would further discredit this world body. The UN should restore its legitimacy through ensuring the complete withdrawal of all occupying forces and assisting the Iraqi people in recovering their full sovereignty. Any involvement of the European Union or of NATO to help the occupying powers should be refused.

8. Finally, the Tribunal calls upon the peoples of the world to demand that their governments

- deny military, political, financial or any other support to the occupying powers; and
- oppose the illegal implementation by occupation forces or their surrogates of any plans for the wholesale privatization of the Iraqi economy.

The Tribunal also expresses its solidarity with the Iraqi people and its support for their attempts at recovering their full sovereignty.

Notes

1. The oral and written testimonies as well as official documents are reproduced in a preparatory dossier entitled "Questioning the New Imperial World Order."

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