Tony Blair’s Visit to Afghanistan

Workers' Daily Internet Edition : Article Index :

Annexation under the Signboard of "Nation-Building":
Tony Blair’s Visit to Afghanistan

The Rail Dispute:
Tony Blair Condemns Rail Strikes But Washes His Hands of Responsibility
For Your Information: Statements of the RMT on the Strike by South West Trains Workers

Zimbabwe:
International Development Minister Talks of International Monitoring

Against Imperialist Globalisation:
Demonstrations Planned Against World Economic Forum

Tony Blair visited Bagram airfield in Afghanistan on January 7, where he met members of the advance party of the British forces of the ISAF. He was welcomed by Hamid Karzai, the head of the Afghan Interim Authority.

In a press conference, Tony Blair said that he wanted to offer Hamid Karzai full support and partnership in establishing the interim government in Afghanistan, and in setting Afghanistan on a different path for the future. Tony Blair referred to what he termed "the commitment that the international community has to the reconstruction of Afghanistan" which he said is there for the "long term".

Once again, the Prime Minister alleged that "Afghanistan was a failed state". He said that Britain had a "long term commitment" to the reconstruction of Afghanistan. He also made the point that it is also in Britain’s own self-interest to be in Afghanistan "in partnership with the new authorities in Afghanistan for the long term".

Tony Blair’s remarks show that the foreign occupiers of Afghanistan are intent on exploiting in their own interests the absence of a strong force which can lead a nation-building project that favours the interests of the peoples of Afghanistan. Britain and the other big powers are seeking to institutionalise the division of the polity in the Eurocentric model, which will favour instead their long-term stranglehold of the region.

This whole scenario underlines the Anglo-American notion of a "viable state" to be a state which is successfully integrated into the global market with a free market economy, a multiparty system and human rights according to the Anglo-American definition. Thus what is occurring is a project of annexation under the guise of the slogan of "nation-building" which the big powers have appropriated for this purpose. Far from wanting to unite the people of Afghanistan in a manner which serves their own interests, in the name of "nation building" and creating a "viable state" Britain and the other foreign occupiers are working to entrench foreign interests and neutralise the opposition of the Afghan people to big power domination.

The Prime Minister has condemned the current wave of strikes, which have brought rail services in parts of the country to a standstill. In his first Commons question time appearance of the year, the Prime Minister said that he thinks strikes are a totally unacceptable way to resolve disputes.

Support for a passengers' day of action to highlight problems in the rail industry is also growing as commuters are hit by fresh delays – despite the end of the latest train strike. Mark Oaten, chairman of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party, says it's time for commuters to "fight back". A rail passengers' group is planning a day of protest on March 1, with travellers being urged to boycott trains in a show of "people power".

The RMT's executive has called a fresh 48-hour strike on SWT services for January 24 and 25 in the dispute over pay and disciplinary procedures. The union has also called strikes at Arriva Trains Northern on January 24 and 25 and February 5 and 6 after an overwhelming 15 to 1 vote in favour of industrial action in a separate pay dispute.

Train services across Scotland continue to be hit because ScotRail drivers are refusing to work their rest days in another dispute over pay.

Delays were up more than 70% in the first nine months of 2001 compared with the same period in 2000, Liberal Democrat transport spokesman Don Foster has said. He said: "Our railways are beginning to resemble the Bermuda Triangle. Whole years are lost by rail passengers. Rail delays cost British industry £445.1 million – almost half a billion pounds – in staff time. Delays to goods traffic must increase this figure further still."

Transport Secretary Stephen Byers said on January 7 that he understood the anger and frustration of passengers and he urged both the RMT union and the train company to put the public first, but he declined to criticise the RMT directly. The union is a significant contributor to Labour Party funds and counts several MPs and ministers as members, including John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister.

In his statement, the Transport Secretary said: "In this day and age disagreements like this should not give rise to strike action. The strikes should stop and both sides should get together for further talks and put the interests of the hard-pressed travelling public first."

On December 18, 2001, RMT, the largest rail union, said that the strike decision followed a three to one vote for industrial action in a 70 per cent turnout from all members at the company, who are incensed at South West Trains' decision to pay drivers twice as much as other employees.

"Our members have stated loud and clear that they expect equal treatment across the board," said Acting General Secretary Vernon Hince. "All we're demanding is a fair deal for all staff. Why should non-driver employees be treated less favourably when they work every bit as hard and are equally loyal? They are not second class citizens – and we will not be brow beaten into accepting a hugely inferior deal on their behalf."

Train crew members at the company also returned a 'yes' vote for industrial action in a separate ballot over the abuse of disciplinary procedures. The union believes that South West Trains has subjected RMT representatives to punitive measures that are wildly disproportionate to the charges against them.

Earlier in December, the RMT insisted that it was South West Trains, not the union, that is guilty of hypocrisy. The company is blatantly offering different pay rates to different staff groups – and has not followed correct disciplinary procedures with regard to union activists.

"This train operating company is blatantly applying double standards to its staff: one pay rate for drivers and managers, and another pay rate – essentially half as much – for other employees," said Acting General Secretary Vernon Hince. "All we want is a fair deal for all our members. Why should other staff be treated less favourably when they work as hard and are every bit as loyal? RMT members are not second class citizens."

RMT, he stressed, was in constant talks with over 20 train operating companies, and was not in dispute with any others. "The management style of South West Trains leaves a lot to be desired," he said. "They have not created a climate that is conducive to negotiation – although this union has done its level best to ensure constructive talks take place. We refuse to be brow beaten into accepting any deal for large numbers of our members that is manifestly inferior to the offer accepted by other groups of staff. And we are furious at the company's intimidatory tactics towards members of this union who may be prepared to take strike action."

Regarding the union's separate ballot of train crew members over abuse of disciplinary procedures, he said that – contrary to claims made by South West Trains – the correct procedures had not been adhered to.

"This company has subjected RMT representatives to punitive measures that are wildly disproportionate to the charges against them," he said. "As far as we're concerned they are being victimised because they are union activists."

RMT has around 2,100 members at the company, 663 of whom are train crew members.

After Jack Straw’s remarks in parliament on Tuesday, Clare Short, the International Development Minister, has also spoken of a "tragedy" in Zimbabwe.

The Foreign Secretary had arrogantly stated that "we cannot be sure that free and fair elections will take place in Zimbabwe", and added that the overall situation in Zimbabwe constituted "a serious and persistent violation of the Commonwealth’s political values and the rule of law". The Foreign Secretary also made it clear that the government was keeping the possibility of both the Commonwealth and the EU imposing sanctions against Zimbabwe in the future "under very close review".

Clare Short, speaking to BBC radio from an African regional conference in Sudan, said: "Zimbabwe is a tragedy of enormous proportions. We've now got hungry people, there are UN appeals, we are providing help in humanitarian support to feed people who would otherwise go hungry and to provide very basic drugs."

"The whole international community has to stay engaged and do all we can," she said. "In different parts of the world we see countries turn to bad leadership and bad politics, and we've seen that coming in Zimbabwe for some years and it's a tragedy and it's causing concern to the whole international community," she added.

In recent years the British government has launched an unprecedented campaign of provocations and abuse against Zimbabwe, its government and president. The Zimbabwe government’s attempts to initiate land redistribution have led to intervention in the country’s affairs and threats of further punitive measures from Britain, the EU and the US. Britain, the former colonial power in what before 1980 was Rhodesia, is using the mounting political and economic problems in the southern African country as a pretext to openly meddle in Zimbabwe’s internal affairs while refusing to honour its obligations to fund land distribution under the terms of the Lancaster House agreement of 1980.

WDIE vigorously condemns the government’s attempts to isolate Zimbabwe and intervene in its affairs under the guise of humanitarian concern.

From January 31 - February 4, the World Economic Forum (WEF) will hold meetings in New York City. Defying the current militarisation of New York City and all attempts to criminalise dissent in the name of fighting terrorism, thousands of people are expected to participate. The demonstrators will take a stand in opposing US aggression and all attacks on the peoples in the name of the "war on terrorism", opposing neo-liberal globalisation and raising the slogan "Another World is Possible!". A number of demonstrations, conferences, teach-ins and other actions are planned leading up to a mass rally on February 2.

The WEF, traditionally held in Davos, Switzerland, is the world summit of thousands of business and political leaders, as well as academics, NGO and media representatives, to discuss the global agenda and what they regard as the key economic, political and social issues.

Meanwhile in Porto Allegre, Brazil, thousands of activists from around the world will gather at the second World Social Forum (WSF) from January 30 - February 5. The first WSF, also held in Porto Allegre, launched a year of international actions against neo-liberal globalisation, which the participants called a movement for a just and dignified future for humanity in the new millennium. At this year's forum a number of actions and workshops are planned to oppose neo-liberal globalisation and discuss alternatives.