Esteemed Comrades, delegates and participants,
We congratulate the organizers of Anti-imperialist Camp-2004 and their persistent struggle and hard working to foster anti-imperialist cause on different fronts and from all corners of the world. The Anti-Imperialist Camp has become a regular yearly feature to build integrated international anti-imperialist movement, the prime need of our era. This year again the holding of Anti-Imperialist Camp-2004 in Assisi, Italy, would enormously contribute to the global fight against colonialism in all forms and manifestations. They are, indeed, rendering valuable efforts in organizing the movement and anti-imperialist forces at one platform for bigger and decisive assault on imperialism, which is increasingly posing threat to the sovereignty of nations, regional stability and world peace.
Esteemed Comrades, delegates and participants,
The topic “Resistance is Not Terrorism” the Anti-Imperialist Camp 2004 will debate in its marathon sessions is very important. Imperialists have been accusing all sorts of struggle against colonialism and foreign domination. Such nature of struggle is being labeled as terrorism. It is not the first time that the fight against imperialism is being branded as terrorism. Even when the Algerians, Palestinians, Koreans, Vietnamese, Chinese, Indians, Africans and other nations had waged their struggle for national liberation, their political acts were dubbed as terrorism. The real viewpoint is that the resistance against colonial subjugation is not terrorism but an effective weapon for the oppressed and enslaved nations to liberate themselves from foreign yoke. The fact is that imperialism is itself a terrorism, as it occupies the sovereignty of nations by dint of its military might as what happened in the past and what is happening in Afghanistan, Iraq and Palestine now.
Esteemed Comrades, delegates and participants,
Enthusiastically, we agree with the topic of Anti-Imperialist Camp 2004, which reads “Resistance is not terrorism”. We think it would give an impetus to the anti-imperialist forces to carry on their struggle to dislodge colonial powers from their occupation. At a time when imperialism has employed its financial resources, malicious propaganda machinery, political pressure and above all very dangerous and ferocious military might, what course the oppressed people and enslaved nations are to follow to rid of the menace. The Palestinian, Afghan and Iraqi people have been forced by the Israeli and American forces of occupation and their brutality, to wage resistance. They have no option other than the resistance.
It is the political right of the nations to adopt the method in view of their enemies´ modus operandi. The Palestinians, Afghans and Iraqis, who are on the path to struggle against imperialist occupation, are freedom fighters, not terrorists. But, on the other hand, the Israeli, American, British and Australian war machines operating in these countries aggressively are real terrorists and their political as well as military actions fall in the category of terrorism. It is a very established fact that where there is oppression, there would be resistance, and exactly what is happening in many parts of the world including Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The local ruling imperialist stooges first resort to violence to silence the dissent voice. On the demand by the people for national sovereignty, democracy and economic development free from imperialist clutches, local imperialist hirelings resort to military force, and when people retaliate giving proper reply, they are accused as terrorists.
To distort and accuse the resistance of the nations and people of several countries, the imperialist powers, their hired political analysts and media unleash vicious propaganda campaign against the people´s resistance calling it terrorism, although the United Nations does not hold the freedom fight as terrorism. The United States along with its allies like the UK, Australia and others militarily invaded Iraq without UN authority on the pretext of destroying the weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), for which no evidence could be yet produced. This criminal act is really terrorism, and the US, UK, Australia and others committing crimes in Afghanistan and Iraq are terrorist states, and the United Nations should move to punish them if it is an independent organization to impart justice to world. Similarly, Israel is a war criminal, and needs to be brought to the International Court of Justice to punish it for killing the people and destruction of Palestinian homes.
Being an imperialist stooge both in the Cold War and post-Cold War era, Pakistan is trapped in its own net. It was Islamabad, which on the instructions from Washington, had propped up, organized and trained Islamic Jihadi (Holy War) terrorist groups to fight Soviet socialist system. Pakistan was called a frontline state for US imperialism throughout the Cold War. When Soviet troops were deployed in Afghanistan to foil imperialist indirect interference through the Islamic Jihad, several such Islamic groups were brought into the existence. Imperialists, their lackeys in the Middle East and Pakistan helped in the formation of terrorist organizations. Such kind of Afghan fight was not liberation movement but the resurgence of Islam for imperialist cause that lasted up to the collapse of the Soviet Union and an end to the Cold War. Osama bin Laden of Al Quaida and Mullah Omer of the Taliban are the products of US imperialist, for which Pakistan played an important role for being a neighbour to Afghanistan.
With the change of international scenario, imperialists, particularly US imperialism, have reversed their previous perception of the support to Islamic fundamentalists associated with terrorism. Now, the US is occupying Afghanistan militarily since 2002. The name of the game is the “war against terror” of Al Quaida and Taliban. Pakistan is also working with the United States in its scramble for colonial occupation of Afghanistan. But both the US, its Western allies and Pakistan are failure in stamping out resistance by the Afghan people to imperialist occupation. The fight has now spread to Pakistani territories bordering Afghanistan. In the rocky tribal belt and tough terrain of Pakistan, Pakistani and often American troops conduct military operations. Now, guerilla warfare is ragging in Wana for several months in which both sides, according to reports, have already suffered heavy casualties.
The Communist Workers-Peasants Party Pakistan (CMKP) does not agree with the method of fight and politics of Islamic fundamentalists but at the same time, we take joint Pakistan-US military operations as invasion on the people of the area, and we strongly condemn it. Even if the fire of resistance is extinguished for the time being, though the Pakistani and American troops are faced with tough fight from their adversaries at the moment, the people of both Afghanistan and Pakistan would not succumb to military operations on the behest of US imperialism. The verdict of history is that the people of tribal belt and Afghanistan are destined to emerge triumphant.
Esteemed Comrades, delegates and participants,
However, despite the reality on the ground, there is a controversy over the present role of the Islamic fundamentalist organizations, which resort to action against the United States as an enemy of the Muslim countries. They do not hesitate to kill even innocent people through suicide bombings and other violent methods in Israel, Iraq and other parts of the world to harm America and its local puppets.
In sheer frustration and frenzy, the ploy of suicide bombing and other acts killing the innocent people is not the proper way to harm imperialism. The United States is desperate to occupy some Muslim countries undoubtedly, which are enriched with abundant natural resources. Its action is not related to a Christian country but as an imperialist power, the character of which is colonial occupation. Moreover, US imperialist designs are not confined to Muslim or certain countries alone but to the territories beneficial for its trade and economy. The United States in this devastating political game is increasingly becoming a severe threat to world at large, against which the voice from all corners our planet is being raised, inviting practical unified steps.
In such a situation when the American imperialism has become a ferocious monster haunting humanity at large, isolated and narrow fight with bizarre religious hatred by Islamic fundamentalists would not yield any positive outcome and are doomed to fail in the long run. This invites serious approach to the complicated international issue.
Aside their faith they have right to have, they need a change of their present tactics since their isolated actions with obscurantism are not to bear any fruit. America is not only the enemy of the Muslim countries but the whole nations of the world including American people who are also against US disastrous designs.
The Islamic fundamentalist organization do succeed only in unified fight along with all segments of anti-imperialist forces of the regions and the world. Since the existing religious prejudice and tactical operations are counter-productive at both regional and international levels, they have no option other than unified anti-imperialist resistance movement. They have to decide to join and remain in the main stream of anti-imperialist struggle if they are actually serious and sincere to their just cause.
However, from all cannon of arguments, freedom struggle of nations and resistance of the people for just cause are not terrorism but those who oppose such struggle and movement and resort to arms twisting are terrorists.
Once again, we congratulate you and the participants on their performance of historic responsibility. They are participating in the Camp not only to define what is terrorism and what in not but also to mobilize the people across the globe so as to wage integrated fight against imperialism and all sorts of foreign interference, domination and injustice whether political or economic.
We wish a great success,
Thanking you,
In solidarity,
Ejaz Ghani
General Secretary
Communist Workers Peasants Party Pakistan (CMKP)
