I strongly condemn the recent military attacks carried out by the Israeli occupying forces in the Gaza Strip on 27 December 2008. The attacks began at approximately 11:30am and lasted for approximately three hours. These attacks have destroyed most of the Gaza security offices including police stations, resulting in the deaths of more than 200 Palestinians. More than 350 have been injured with at least 120 critically.
The number of deaths resulting from these attacks indicates a wilful targeting of the civilian police forces in these locations and a clear violation of the prohibition against wilful killings. Wilful killings are a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention under Article 147 and therefore, a war crime. Both the time and location of these attacks also indicate a malicious intent to inflict as many casualties as possible with many of the police stations located in civilian population centres and the time of the attacks coinciding with the end of the school day resulting in the deaths of numerous children.
What did Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert mean when he stated that the people of Gaza weren't the enemy, that it was Hamas and Islamic Jihad which were being targeted? Was that statement made to infuriate the people of Gaza out of out their state of shock, to pacify any feelings of rage and revenge? To mock them? Were the scores of children on their way home from school and who are now among the dead and the injured, Hamas militants? About half an hour after the first strike, three schoolgirls happened to be passing by one of the locations when a missile struck the Preventative Security Headquarters building. The girls' bodies were torn into pieces and covered the street from one side to the other.
A short time earlier, US-supplied Israeli F-16 warplanes and Apache helicopters dropped over 100 bombs on dozens of locations in the Israeli-occupied Gaza Strip killing at least 195 persons and injuring hundreds more. Many of these locations were police stations located, like police stations the world over, in the middle of civilian areas. The US government was one of the first to offer its support for Israel's attacks, and others will follow.
Israel's war crimes and other grave violations of international law in Gaza as well as in the rest of the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, could not have been perpetrated without the direct or indirect complicity of world governments, particularly the United States, the European Union, Egypt, and other Arab regimes.
The UN Security Council must call an emergency session and adopt concrete measures, including the imposition of sanctions, in order to ensure Israel's fulfilments of its obligations under international humanitarian law.
The High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions must fulfil their obligation under common Article 1 to ensure respect for the provisions of the Conventions, taking appropriate measures to compel Israel to abide by its obligations under international humanitarian law, in particular placing pivotal importance on the respect and protection of civilians from the effects of the hostilities.
The High Contracting Parties must fulfil their legal obligation under Article 146 of the Fourth Geneva Convention to prosecute those responsible for grave breaches of the Convention.
EU institutions and member states must make effective use of the European Union Guidelines on promoting compliance with international humanitarian law (2005/C 327/04) to ensure Israel complies with international humanitarian law under paragraph 16 (b), (c) and (d) of these guidelines, including the adoption of immediate restrictive measures and sanctions, as well as cessation of all upgrade dialogue with Israel.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Saturday, November 1, 2008
POSHUKHAMAR
Poshukhamar is a result of constant conspiracy to malign socialism. The play “Poshukhamar”, which was based on “Animal Farm” written by George Orwell, attacks Stalin policies and Soviet Union’s proletarian state. In the play, it was shown that Stalin’s regime was repressive and anti-democratic. George Orwell, who claimed to be a Marxist, was originally an Anti-communist and a supporter of bourgeois democracy. He was against Dictatorship of the Proletariat and socialism. He was aided and funded by imperialist powers, the main enemy of communism and working class, to attack socialism and to malign its leaders. Persons like Arpita Ghosh and Saoli Mitra are the supporters of that so called “Orwellian communism” which is an anti-socialist ideology to counter the real thoughts and aspects of socialism and communism.
The speculation about the millions who died in the Soviet Union is part of the dirty propaganda war against the Soviet Union and for this very reason the denials and explanations given by the Soviet Union were never taken seriously and never found any space in the capitalist press. They were, on the contrary, ignored, while the 'specialists' bought by capital were given as much space as they wanted in order to spread their fictions. And what fictions they were! What the millions of dead and imprisoned claimed by Orwell and other 'critics' had in common was that they were the result of false statistical approximations and evaluation methods lacking any scientific basis.
The speculation about the millions who died in the Soviet Union is part of the dirty propaganda war against the Soviet Union and for this very reason the denials and explanations given by the Soviet Union were never taken seriously and never found any space in the capitalist press. They were, on the contrary, ignored, while the 'specialists' bought by capital were given as much space as they wanted in order to spread their fictions. And what fictions they were! What the millions of dead and imprisoned claimed by Orwell and other 'critics' had in common was that they were the result of false statistical approximations and evaluation methods lacking any scientific basis.
Monday, October 20, 2008
"Narokio"
Yesterday I went on to see the latest production of “Pancham Vaidik”, the Bengali play “Narokio”. It is based on Jean Paul Sartre’s play “No Exit” written in the mid-40s of the twentieth century. In this plat director Arpita Ghosh has purposefully depicted its on of the main characters, corrupted politician Samrat Sircar as Comrade Joseph Stalin. Though in the original play “No Exit”, the central character Garcin, a reporter, who was liar and immoral, had no resemblance with Stalin. Arpita has a constant habit of maligning Comrade Stalin, the great teacher of the proletariat. In her previous play “Poshukhamar”, which was based on “Animal Farm” written by George Orwell, she attacked Stalin policies and Soviet Union’s proletarian state. In the play, it was shown that Stalin’s regime was repressive and anti-democratic. George Orwell, who claimed to be a Marxist, was originally an Anti-communist and a supporter of bourgeois democracy. He was against Dictatorship of the Proletariat and socialism. He was aided and funded by imperialist powers, the main enemy of communism and working class, to attack socialism and to malign its leaders. Persons like Arpita Ghosh and Saoli Mitra are the supporters of that so called “Orwellian communism” which is an anti-socialist ideology to counter the real thoughts and aspects of socialism and communism. These self proclaimed champions of humanity judge Comrade Stalin’s thoughts and activities by the anti-people policies of CPIM, which is a revisionist social-democratic party and no a real communist party in any case. People who don’t know the abc of communism should not have the right to judge and criticize the great leaders of communism.
In her last column in The Telegraph, Malavika Singh called Comrade Stalin and Comrade Mao Tse Tung mass-murderers. These types of miss-propagandas are based on utter lies and misinformation. Imperialist powers always have their paid agents and whores as have their weapons to fight communism.
In her last column in The Telegraph, Malavika Singh called Comrade Stalin and Comrade Mao Tse Tung mass-murderers. These types of miss-propagandas are based on utter lies and misinformation. Imperialist powers always have their paid agents and whores as have their weapons to fight communism.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
My letter published in The Telegraph
The death sentence against Saddam Hussein came at the end of a farcical trial (“Saddam walks to death with defiance”, Dec 31). The Bush administration and its allies had no right to execute Saddam simply because the coalition forces have done more harm to Iraq than the deposed dictator. For one, the invasion of Iraq was an unprovoked act of aggression that was justified with lies and carried out in defiance of international law. The imperialist forces killed thousands of innocent Iraqis in the name of “regime change”. More worryingly, Iraqi people are still being terrorized by the occupation forces. The imperialists must be resisted at any cost before more crimes and atrocities against humanity are committed in Iraq.
January 04, 2007
It is not the image of Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee that helped the Left Front come to power
for the seventh time in a row in West Bengal. The real reason is the lack of an organized
opposition in the state. The so-called slogan of development and industrialization of the
previous government, headed by Bhattacharjee himself, has proved to be completely hollow. In the name of development, the government is forcefully occupying the land of poor farmers,
destroying their livelihood, while giving promoters and foreign firms absolute freedom to build
shopping malls, flats and multiplexes for the rich. Slum-dwellers and hawkers are being evicted
in the name of beautification and development. To talk about rehabilitation is blasphemy.
However, there is no real industrialization happening. Bhattacharjee has brought some
investment in the services sector, particularly in IT and retail. But nothing has been done for the
manufacturing sector. As a matter of fact, around 65,000 factories have closed down, resulting
in millions losing their jobs. Of around 7.5 million registered unemployed people in the state, the
so-called IT boom has been able to provide jobs for only 40,000 or thereabouts. Therefore, if
the people have voted for him, it was not for “Brand Buddha” but because they had no
alternative.
Monday, May 15, 2006
January 04, 2007
It is not the image of Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee that helped the Left Front come to power
for the seventh time in a row in West Bengal. The real reason is the lack of an organized
opposition in the state. The so-called slogan of development and industrialization of the
previous government, headed by Bhattacharjee himself, has proved to be completely hollow. In the name of development, the government is forcefully occupying the land of poor farmers,
destroying their livelihood, while giving promoters and foreign firms absolute freedom to build
shopping malls, flats and multiplexes for the rich. Slum-dwellers and hawkers are being evicted
in the name of beautification and development. To talk about rehabilitation is blasphemy.
However, there is no real industrialization happening. Bhattacharjee has brought some
investment in the services sector, particularly in IT and retail. But nothing has been done for the
manufacturing sector. As a matter of fact, around 65,000 factories have closed down, resulting
in millions losing their jobs. Of around 7.5 million registered unemployed people in the state, the
so-called IT boom has been able to provide jobs for only 40,000 or thereabouts. Therefore, if
the people have voted for him, it was not for “Brand Buddha” but because they had no
alternative.
Monday, May 15, 2006
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Keep it Simple
What exact rules govern the right to secession and, more generally, self-determination of people? Some in Western part of the world say that these rules are confusing. And if we believe the Corporate Media, we might think that:
In Asia: Tibetans have the right, but not the Iraqis or Afghans.
In the Middle East: Israelis have the right, but neither the Palestians nor the Kurds have it.
In Africa: The gangster generals of East Congo have this right, but not Western Sahara.
In Latin America: Wealthy provinces of Bolivia has this right, but not the indegenous peoples of Chile or Mexico.
In Western Europe: The Flemish might have this right, but not the Northern Irish nor the Basues in Spain.
In Balkans: Albanians of Kosovo have this right, but not the Serbs of Kosovo or those of Bosnia.
According to US imperialism — only those people that are “with us” are entitled to self-determination. No one else. And as long as we are on this topic, let’s replace the word “democratic” by “with us” and the word “terrorist” by “against us”. That’s our politics. Simple when you know how!
In Asia: Tibetans have the right, but not the Iraqis or Afghans.
In the Middle East: Israelis have the right, but neither the Palestians nor the Kurds have it.
In Africa: The gangster generals of East Congo have this right, but not Western Sahara.
In Latin America: Wealthy provinces of Bolivia has this right, but not the indegenous peoples of Chile or Mexico.
In Western Europe: The Flemish might have this right, but not the Northern Irish nor the Basues in Spain.
In Balkans: Albanians of Kosovo have this right, but not the Serbs of Kosovo or those of Bosnia.
According to US imperialism — only those people that are “with us” are entitled to self-determination. No one else. And as long as we are on this topic, let’s replace the word “democratic” by “with us” and the word “terrorist” by “against us”. That’s our politics. Simple when you know how!
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Dalai Lama has 'never done anything good'
The facts show the Dalai Lama and his backers have been ruining Tibet in the name of religion and human rights, an article in yesterday's Guangming Daily newspaper claimed.Its Tibetan author, Basang Wangdui, is a researcher with the Tibetan Academy of Social Sciences.The Dalai Lama and his supporters, representatives of the feudal serf owners of old Tibet, have never done anything good for the Tibetan people in the past 50 years, he said.In the late 1950s, the group attempted to split Tibet from the motherland with an armed rebellion, and after being foiled and fleeing abroad, perpetuated a decade-long military conflict in border areas, he said.Tibetan farmers receive books and CDs in their native language on agricultural technology from a local agricultural official on Wednesday. XinhuaIn the 70s, the group fabricated and spread rumors via Western broadcasts to instigate ethnic conflicts and violent confrontations, and instigated riots in Lhasa in the late 80s, Basang Wangdui claimed.In the past few years, the Dalai Lama has promised again and again to renounce "Tibetan independence", but has never kept his word, he said.The March 14 riots in Lhasa again exposed the Dalai Lama's hypocrisy in claiming peace and nonviolence, he said.The criminal activities were against China's laws. No country that is committed to the rule of law would allow such behavior, Basang Wangdui said.Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, Tibet has moved away from the poverty and backwardness of the old times, he said.While the Dalai Lama regards himself the "spokesman of the Tibetan people" and "guardian of human rights", he forgets how he trampled on the human rights of Tibetan people when he was a serf owner, he said.Secessionists often told the international community that China killed 1.2 million Tibetans, but in the 50s, the total population was just 1.14 million, he said."If we follow the clique's logic, there would be no people living in Tibet today. So why does the region have a population of 2.8 million, of whom 95 percent are Tibetans and other minority ethnic groups?"People should have a better understanding of Tibet's history, and not be duped by the Dalai Lama, he said.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
TASLIMA'S LETTER (I HAVE TO ESCAPE FROM THE DEATH CHAMBER)
I HAVE TO ESCAPE FROM THE DEATH CHAMBER I HAVE TO ESCAPE FROM THE DEATH CHAMBER I used to call this the torture chamber. I gradually came to realize that it was the chamber of death instead. I was not even allowed to stay in hospital for long though the doctors felt it was necessary in order to stabilize my blood pressure. But then, orders are orders and the government did not want to be inconvenienced by me in any way whatsoever. The government did not want the media to know I had been hospitalized. I did not have my mobile phone with me and the doctors at the government's hospital –AIIMS – were instructed to discharge me after a certain period of time. Curiously though, the decision was not left to the doctors as to what this certain period of time was to be. The last time I was admitted to this hospital a few weeks ago I was suddenly discharged as a result of governmental pressure. I am sure this was linked to a report in the Times of India which stated I had been hospitalized.
At this undisclosed location I am neither allowed to go to a doctor for consultation nor is one allowed to come to me. I suffer from severely fluctuating blood pressure and the strange thing is that I was not even allowed to speak to any of the doctors at the hospital over the telephone. Even after repeated requests I was not given a single phone number. When I was in hospital, I asked the doctors if I could call them if necessary but they said that they were not allowed to hand out their numbers. I had to make inquiries through officials to get even the simplest of answers from these doctors. I have suffered tremendously both physically and mentally. My blood pressure is now impossible to control. The doctors say it is due to stress which I must avoid at all costs. How can I not be stressed when everything is continuously stressing me out? I am brought to this place and incarcerated like some animal; my human rights constantly and continually violated. I am not allowed to step out or meet anyone. How can I not be stressed? I received the extension of my resident's permit, but the status quo continued. And because of the high blood pressure caused by stress, I developed heart disease (hypertrophy) and hypertensive retinopathy, both of which were diagnosed at the hospital. The hypertensive retinopathy will eventually cause me to go blind. The blood pressure if uncontrolled destroy the heart, kidneys and eyes.
Prior to my confinement, my blood pressure had been under control and all my organs were in perfect condition. After returning from hospital, I wanted to leave this country at the earliest as I knew I would never be free from stress here. I said I needed to go to Kolkata urgently to collect a few important documents and other assorted things including bank cards and to sign my tax papers. That too, just the basic permission to visit my Kolkata flat to wrap up my life there, was denied for security reasons. THEY FINALLY DID IT Even though they constantly pressured me mentally to leave the country, I refused to budge. I was determined I would not leave this country. When they saw it was pointless trying to destroy my mind, they attempted to destroy my body. In this they succeeded by ruining my health which leaves me with no other alternative but to leave this country.
WAS NOT ALLOWED TO SEE ANY DOCTOR FOR 'SECURITY REASONS' It is important that all this be known. I made repeated requests to be allowed to consult a medical specialist as my condition was growing worse with the ever increasing stress I had to face in this not-so-gilded cage. I was not allowed to see a doctor for more than two months. The decision makers asked the officials not to attend to me especially when I desperately needed a doctor. Two months after my initial request, I was eventually taken to a quack to an undisclosed third location who could, unsurprisingly, do nothing at all. I insisted that I had to see a cardiologist or at least a specialist. I was then told that this would entail a visit to the doctor's chamber. I agreed to go but was told that I would not be allowed to go to a doctor's chamber because of the 'security risks' involved. I fell very ill and told the officials I was likely to have a heart attack. After a few days, at the same undisclosed location, I was allowed to see a doctor from the AIIMS who prescribed some medicines after taking which I fainted. The same night I was admitted to hospital where my blood pressure fell alarmingly and had to be given life-saving-drugs to survive. The doctors told me that I needed to spend two or three weeks in hospital but the officials whisked me away from the critical care unit after just three days and took me directly to meet the Minister for External Affairs. The Minister asked me to leave the country the shock of which made my blood pressure shoot up to 220/120. I was rushed to the hospital but the doctors were instructed by the officials not to admit me for 'security reasons'. In my not-so-gilded cage, I had no help at all.
FACTSIt has been nearly eight months that I have been living under virtual house arrest, in a prison without any facilities. I have been asked continuously by the government to leave this country. Naturally, this has upset me a great deal as I left Europe to relocate to India; to make India my permanent home. I settled in Kolkata where I was living peacefully in a Bengali milieu. I was very active helping oppressed women and writing feminist and humanist literature. Just because a few Muslim fundamentalists objected to my being in this country, I was first imprisoned in Kolkata and then moved to Delhi. In order for the politicians to secure their Muslim vote bank, I had to be locked up and, as a consequence, my health was irreparably destroyed.IMPORTANT I was not allowed to see a doctor even when my blood pressure was fluctuating uncontrollably because of the stress put on me by the GoI.I was not allowed to see a specialist for 'security reasons'. I was finally seen by a doctor chosen by the GOI, just after having his prescribed medicine, drug poisoning started, I fainted and I was admitted to a government's hospital. Life-saving-drugs saved my life. I was not allowed to stay in hospital for 'security reasons'.When it was made clear that I must avoid stress and stressful situations, I was taken from the CCU( cardiac care unit) to meet the Minister for External Affairs who put great mental pressure on me to leave the country.When my blood pressure reached 220/120 after talking with the Minister, I begged to get admission in the hospital, but I was not allowed. I am not being allowed to go to Kolkata before I leave the country to pack some important things and secure my house.I was not allowed to step out for eight months ( 4 months in Kolkata, 3 and 1/2 months in Delhi)I was not allowed visiting hours at my place of confinementI was not allowed to meet my friends and acquaintances
At this undisclosed location I am neither allowed to go to a doctor for consultation nor is one allowed to come to me. I suffer from severely fluctuating blood pressure and the strange thing is that I was not even allowed to speak to any of the doctors at the hospital over the telephone. Even after repeated requests I was not given a single phone number. When I was in hospital, I asked the doctors if I could call them if necessary but they said that they were not allowed to hand out their numbers. I had to make inquiries through officials to get even the simplest of answers from these doctors. I have suffered tremendously both physically and mentally. My blood pressure is now impossible to control. The doctors say it is due to stress which I must avoid at all costs. How can I not be stressed when everything is continuously stressing me out? I am brought to this place and incarcerated like some animal; my human rights constantly and continually violated. I am not allowed to step out or meet anyone. How can I not be stressed? I received the extension of my resident's permit, but the status quo continued. And because of the high blood pressure caused by stress, I developed heart disease (hypertrophy) and hypertensive retinopathy, both of which were diagnosed at the hospital. The hypertensive retinopathy will eventually cause me to go blind. The blood pressure if uncontrolled destroy the heart, kidneys and eyes.
Prior to my confinement, my blood pressure had been under control and all my organs were in perfect condition. After returning from hospital, I wanted to leave this country at the earliest as I knew I would never be free from stress here. I said I needed to go to Kolkata urgently to collect a few important documents and other assorted things including bank cards and to sign my tax papers. That too, just the basic permission to visit my Kolkata flat to wrap up my life there, was denied for security reasons. THEY FINALLY DID IT Even though they constantly pressured me mentally to leave the country, I refused to budge. I was determined I would not leave this country. When they saw it was pointless trying to destroy my mind, they attempted to destroy my body. In this they succeeded by ruining my health which leaves me with no other alternative but to leave this country.
WAS NOT ALLOWED TO SEE ANY DOCTOR FOR 'SECURITY REASONS' It is important that all this be known. I made repeated requests to be allowed to consult a medical specialist as my condition was growing worse with the ever increasing stress I had to face in this not-so-gilded cage. I was not allowed to see a doctor for more than two months. The decision makers asked the officials not to attend to me especially when I desperately needed a doctor. Two months after my initial request, I was eventually taken to a quack to an undisclosed third location who could, unsurprisingly, do nothing at all. I insisted that I had to see a cardiologist or at least a specialist. I was then told that this would entail a visit to the doctor's chamber. I agreed to go but was told that I would not be allowed to go to a doctor's chamber because of the 'security risks' involved. I fell very ill and told the officials I was likely to have a heart attack. After a few days, at the same undisclosed location, I was allowed to see a doctor from the AIIMS who prescribed some medicines after taking which I fainted. The same night I was admitted to hospital where my blood pressure fell alarmingly and had to be given life-saving-drugs to survive. The doctors told me that I needed to spend two or three weeks in hospital but the officials whisked me away from the critical care unit after just three days and took me directly to meet the Minister for External Affairs. The Minister asked me to leave the country the shock of which made my blood pressure shoot up to 220/120. I was rushed to the hospital but the doctors were instructed by the officials not to admit me for 'security reasons'. In my not-so-gilded cage, I had no help at all.
FACTSIt has been nearly eight months that I have been living under virtual house arrest, in a prison without any facilities. I have been asked continuously by the government to leave this country. Naturally, this has upset me a great deal as I left Europe to relocate to India; to make India my permanent home. I settled in Kolkata where I was living peacefully in a Bengali milieu. I was very active helping oppressed women and writing feminist and humanist literature. Just because a few Muslim fundamentalists objected to my being in this country, I was first imprisoned in Kolkata and then moved to Delhi. In order for the politicians to secure their Muslim vote bank, I had to be locked up and, as a consequence, my health was irreparably destroyed.IMPORTANT I was not allowed to see a doctor even when my blood pressure was fluctuating uncontrollably because of the stress put on me by the GoI.I was not allowed to see a specialist for 'security reasons'. I was finally seen by a doctor chosen by the GOI, just after having his prescribed medicine, drug poisoning started, I fainted and I was admitted to a government's hospital. Life-saving-drugs saved my life. I was not allowed to stay in hospital for 'security reasons'.When it was made clear that I must avoid stress and stressful situations, I was taken from the CCU( cardiac care unit) to meet the Minister for External Affairs who put great mental pressure on me to leave the country.When my blood pressure reached 220/120 after talking with the Minister, I begged to get admission in the hospital, but I was not allowed. I am not being allowed to go to Kolkata before I leave the country to pack some important things and secure my house.I was not allowed to step out for eight months ( 4 months in Kolkata, 3 and 1/2 months in Delhi)I was not allowed visiting hours at my place of confinementI was not allowed to meet my friends and acquaintances
denunciation
Again, a new blow for our ‘Neo-Nazi’ CM. In a strong denunciation of pro-capitalists CPM-led Left Front government for “failing” to prevent the November Nandigram massacre, the National human Rights Commission has said the state government should bear the responsibility for the loss of life and property following the attack there by the CPM cadres. In its report, NHRC said “Since the state government does not appear to have discharged its primary obligation in preventing the attack by CPI-M cadres on 6 November 2007, it should bear the responsibility for the loss of life and property following the attack,” The NHRC report also made it clear that the local police “facilitated” the CPM activists’ attack. The Commission’s investigation team following the violent episode reported that “the approach of the police was totally partisan during this period”. This report must be seen as a serious blow to the pro-imperialist and pro-capitalist policies of LF government to forcefully acquire the farmland for building ‘Special Economic Zones’. Those who are not ready to surrender, they are being attacked and killed by goons (popularly called “cadres”) of the ruling party. Severely critical of the CPM-led government’s role in tackling the situation, the NHRC said, “The party in power should always be alive to its constitutional obligation to rule without favour and prejudice and never encourage or connive with the illegal activities of its supporters,” adding “The police and the bureaucracy should keep themselves aloof from political influence. Alignment with the party in power results in erosion of public trust which leads to unavoidable misery.”
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