Year 2001 No. 155, September 17, 2001 | ARCHIVE | HOME | SEARCH | SUBSCRIBE |
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2nd National Consultative Forum of RCPB(ML):
Workers' Daily Internet Edition : Article Index :
2nd National Consultative Forum of RCPB(ML):
The Present Situation and the Work to Build the
Workers Opposition
Workers Must Demand that the Government Halt its War Preparations
Letter to the Editor:
The Importance of Gathering Together to Set Our Own
Agenda
Public Meeting: Stop Privatisation our World is Not for Sale
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2nd National Consultative Forum of RCPB(ML):
The 2nd National Consultative Forum of RCPB(ML) was successfully held on Sunday, September 16. The theme of the NCF was to discuss the present situation and the work to build the Workers Opposition.
The National Consultative Forum was most timely in view of the recent world events. The Forum included on its agenda discussion of the stand of the Party and the working class and people towards the attacks on New York and the Pentagon. The discussion reflected the unity of the progressive forces in opposition to the war hysteria that Bush and Blair are promoting, and the work to be done in the light of the requirement not to lose the initiative, but to persist in developing the workers and peoples movements.
The tasks of the Party and the class in building the Workers Opposition were extensively discussed.
Full reports of the National Consultative Forum, its decisions and the discussion on the present national and international situation will be carried at a later date.
Tony Blair on Sunday, speaking in the Cabinet Room at Downing Street, declared that Britain would play a full part in strikes against those responsible for the attacks on September 11.
He said: "Yes. Whatever the technical or legal issues about a declaration of war, the fact is we are at war with terrorism."
While developing their own forces and movement to bring about a society in which the use of force to settle issues between states and peoples is ended, the workers must also demand very vigorously that the government must immediately end its war rhetoric and halt these war preparations being cooked up by Anglo-American imperialism.
The workers must demand that the British government end its reactionary role in world affairs, and pull out of NATO.
Revenge and retaliation are the basest of motives. For an end to terrorism of all kinds, including state terrorism, under whatever pretext it is carried out, modern governments must first of all renovate society. It is not acceptable to talk about the "free and democratic world", while preparing violence against other states which themselves have been the victims of imperialist domination and aggression, and colonial and neo-colonial enslavement.
The war preparations of the Labour government must not be allowed to go through.
The peace group Arrow (Active Resistance to the Roots of War) has called a vigil against military retaliation to the World Trade Centre attack. The vigil is supported by CND.
Tuesday, September 18
6-7 pm
Opposite Downing Street
In calling for the vigil, Arrow have issued the following statemen:
"End the Cycle of Violence Justice Not Vengeance
Today we mourn the thousands who died in Tuesday's horrific atrocities. Our thoughts are with those who have lost their loved ones in these terrible crimes, which we condemn utterly and without reservation.
However, we must not respond to these evil acts by committing evil acts of our own. Lashing out militarily is not the answer, and would inevitably cause the deaths of many more people as unconnected with terrorism as were those who died this week. Rather, we must bring the perpetrators to justice in a court of law.
Please write to the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, urging him to use non-military means to respond to this terrible event and to work towards a world where we have real security built on justice as opposed to the illusion of security built on military might.
Arrow c/o NVRN, 162 Holloway Road, London N7 8DQ"
At this time of deep shock at the atrocities in New York and Washington and as people are realising just how dangerous the situation is becoming, it is so important for people to gather together to discuss and develop their own thinking. It is so vital that we now strengthen our movement for a world where no people's lives are held cheap, all life is valued.
Our local trades council public meeting is against the take over of vital public services our hospitals, our schools, our railways and underground by private corporations whose sole motive is to make profit from people's need. We must build the already strengthening trade union and community opposition to this agenda. The same forces driving privatisation on a global scale are now driving for war and acts of state terrorism. If we put our own agenda to the fore for a different world, where the needs and interests of the people is the aim, where the people themselves have power to decide, and where the world order itself is democratised, it will be much harder for the forces of reaction to drag us into worse disasters ahead.
From an East London health worker and WDIE reader
Speakers:
Neil Gerrard MP
Bob Crow (Assistant General Secretary, Rail, Maritime and Transport Union)
Claire Joy (World Development Movement)
Charlotte Monro (Whipps Cross Hospital UNISON)
Tony Phillips (Waltham Forest Trades Council)
Phil Billows (Royal London and Barts UNISON)
7.30
Thursday, 20 September
Ross Wyld Hall, Church Hill, Walthamstow
Called by Waltham Forest Trades Council
Supported by Waltham Forest Health UNISON, Globalise Resistance, Brighton Mobilising 2001 and London Fire Authority UNISON