An
Appeal to All Women and Men of Conscience
Raise your voice against the unjust imperialist war being waged by the USA against the people of Afghanistan!
India, get out of the anti-people global alliance led by the US!
Uphold the right to self-determination of countries, nations and peoples!
Call of the Lok Raj Sangathan, October 20, 2001
Lok Raj Sangathan condemns unequivocally the savage war of aggression launched by the USA and its allies on the people of Afghanistan. No excuse, no justification, advanced by George Bush or Tony Blair or other members of the "global alliance" cobbled up by the US can justify this utterly unjustifiable act. This is the time for all Indian people to unite and oppose the unjust, imperialist war against Afghanistan and to demand its immediate stoppage.
Lok Raj Sangathan considers the ongoing war against Afghanistan as a continuation of the US strategy to establish its unrivalled domination in the economic, political and military spheres over the whole world. The United States, it would seem, is striving to establish its unrivalled domination over Asia as a prelude to the domination of the whole world. What is going on today is nothing other than the war for the redivision of the Asian continent by various imperialist powers, with the US in the lead. What has begun will result in enormous tragedies not only for the people of Afghanistan, but for the Indian and Pakistani people and all other peoples of Asia. Lok Raj Sangathan calls on the Indian people to come out in complete opposition to this war for the redivision of Asia, which is being carried out under the slogan of "war against terrorism".
LRS calls on the Indian people to condemn and protest strongly against the action of the Indian Government in promising all military facilities to the US armed forces in its ongoing war against the peoples of Asia, thus providing them a foothold in this region. This action of the Indian state, of joining the US-led war coalition, has been done behind the backs of the Indian people; it has been done behind the backs of parliament as well. Prime Minister Vajpayee's government has connived and conspired to ensure that for the first time for over 5 decades, American troops have been allowed to land in the sub continent. The Indian people are sickened and angered by the stand and attitude of the Government of India in the matter, guided overwhelmingly by the desire to be accepted as America's Junior partner in this part of the world, and driven by greed to get a share of the crumbs that the US might offer for collaborating in establishing its domination over the sub-continent and Asia. We demand, unequivocally, that the Indian Government withdraw at once from this imperialist coalition led by the USA.
Lok Raj Sangathan unequivocally condemns the attempts and plans of US, Britain, Pakistan, India and others to decide as to the form and content of the government in Afghanistan. At a time when the peoples all over the world, from all continents and regions, are expressly rejecting the existing political system and political process that marginalise them in their own countries and are fighting for people's empowerment, it is extremely revealing that the rulers of the US led coalition are wanting to impose their prescriptions on the Afghan people! This confirms that the US led coalition is a retrogressive force which, far from fighting for "enduring freedom", is actually trying to take the world back to those times when a handful of predator nations openly and cynically carved up the rest of the world, justifying this under various notions, including the infamous "white man's burden". We uphold the sovereignty of the people of Afghanistan and their inalienable right of self-determination to decide what their future should be. We particularly condemn the active participation of Indian government in this nefarious exercise, motivated wholly by its own imperialist design.
The Vajpayee government is using the present situation to suppress all dissent to its economic and political course under the signboard of fighting "terrorism". It has decided to promulgate a completely anti-democratic ordinance called "Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance" behind the backs of parliament and behind the backs of the Indian people. It has organised a campaign of persecuting and victimising the people of the Islamic faith, as well as all those forces who are raising their voice in protest against US's unjust war and the Indian government's collaboration in this war. These are dangerous trends directed against the movement of the Indian people for their empowerment. Lok Raj Sangathan calls upon the Indian people to oppose and expose the designs of the government in outlawing all dissent.
All over the world, people are protesting against the unjust war. It is extremely clear that it is not the peoples of the world, but definite reactionary forces that are setting the agenda of the US led coalition. The peoples want an end to unjust imperialist wars and the exploitation and subjugation of peoples. They are unable to do so because they are disempowered. Lok Raj Sangathan calls upon the people of India to fight for their empowerment as a key to resolve the problems facing human society today!
The US has launched the war on Afghanistan under the cynical guise of ending terrorism. Lok Raj Sangathan firmly believes that terrorism is the weapon of the most chauvinist, militarist circles of the imperialist and reactionary forces world over to divide, disorient and crush the movement of the world's peoples for their empowerment. Lok Raj Sangathan equally firmly believes that the peoples can put an end to terrorism only by carrying out the thoroughgoing democratic renewal of their society so that far from militarist and chauvinist forces setting the agenda for society, it will be the peoples who will set the agenda.
Lok Raj Sangathan calls upon all sections of Indian people to rally against this unjust, imperialist war in Afghanistan and Indian Governments participating in it. We demand an immediate stop to this war and the withdrawal of all foreign forces from the soil and air of Afghanistan and the region.
Oppose America's imperialist war against Afghanistan!
Fight for India's withdrawal from the US led coalition!
Oppose the attempts of the government to outlaw all dissent!
Uphold the principle of sovereignty of every country and people and their right
to self-determination!
Signed,
T.S. Sankaran (President)
Justice (Retd.) S.M. Daud (Vice President)
Prof. (retd) Dalip Singh (Vice President)
Prakash Rao (Convenor)
Madhavi Thampi and others