In the frame of world wide protests against the impending Anglo-American aggression against Iraq about hundred anti-imperialist organisations from all around the world have called for a protest against the so-called “anti-terrorist lists” issued by the United States and the European Union. Among them the most of the enlisted organisations such as the Palestinian PFLP, the Turkish DHKC, the CPP of the Philippines and the Basque Batasuna all of which also spoke at the press conference. Support was granted by the Russian RKRP-RPK, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), CORREPI from Argentine, Abnaa el Balad from within the Green line in Palestine and the International Action Centre in the US (see list).
“The war on Iraq and the persecution of the liberation movements are only two aspects of the same imperialist attempt to destroy any opposition against their global rule”, the spokesman of the Anti-imperialist Camp said in the press conference. “The …‘war on terror´ is not only a war against the peoples resisting neo-colonial domination but an out-right attack on elementary democratic rights in the Western countries themselves. They therewith intend to smash any anti-imperialist opposition before it can grow.”
Both speakers at the press conference later had to face trials for supporting terrorism: Moreno Pasquinelli (l) of the Anti-imperialist Camp and Bahar Kimyongür (r) [pictures and captions added Apr 8, 2008]
The representative of the PFLP stated that their inclusion as well as that of most of the Palestinian resistance organisations with the black list will only further strengthen their determination to continue their liberation struggle. “While the Palestinian people is doing nothing else than defending its elementary democratic right to self-determination, Europe and the US always supported and instigated Zionist terror. It is the US, Israel Great Britain and others to be set on the black list of state terrorist powers, a list actually too long to read in full length.” The DHKC remembered the fate of thousands of political prisoners under torture and isolation in the prisons of Turkey. While Turkey was preparing for war against Iraq it is exercising democratic cosmetics. Nothing changes if the oligarchy is abolishing capital punishment while extra-judicial executions and disappearance continue. Koldo Gorostiaga, Batasuna´s member of European parliament in a public meeting on the eve of the protest action explained that the most elementary rights of an entire people, the Basque one, are being violated. Not only was the mass party Batasuna banned, but also any protest against these repressive measure. The dictatorial moves of the Spanish state loom as the future of Europe if the newly imposed restrictions are not fought. Finally the representative of the Philippine popular movement denounced the fact that the Dutch government is trying to withdraw from Jose Maria Sison, the historic leader of the CCP, the status of political asylum which could serve as a precedent to attack political activists living in Europe as refugees.
Starting in the centre of the European Community about 500 protestors marched to the American embassy under the slogans “No to the black list”, “No war on Iraq”. There the US was denounced as the main terrorist power. The biggest contingent was that of the DHKC. International delegations of the Anti-imperialist Camp and Batasuna had there one blocks. Palestinians banners could be seen throughout the demonstration. Colombian activists carried a banner “peace with social justice”. The march was closed at the palace of justice denouncing the anti-democratic national legislations imposed on the member states on the EU.
In a conference on the campus a spokesman of the organising committee said that the mobilisation is only the first step in a long struggle against the black list. Already as soon as on November 9 a big demonstration against the war is scheduled for Florence, Italy, where an anti-imperialist block will be formed calling not only against the war but taking side with Iraq and fighting the black list. Furthermore an anti-imperialist solidarity delegation to Iraq has been announced.
