> WW News Service Digest #165 > > 1) UN Millennium Summit: Powerful words & empty promises > by "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > 2) Mugabe defends land takeovers > by "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > 3) Vietnam leader addresses supporters > by "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > 4) U.S. steps up plan to topple Yugoslav gov't > by "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > 5) U.S. blocks Palestinian right of return > by "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Sept. 21, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >UN MILLENNIUM SUMMIT: POWERFUL WORDS & EMPTY PROMISES > >By Greg Butterfield >New York > >Poverty and inequality. Racism and injustice. War and >oppression. These issues are addressed every week in this >newspaper. They touch the lives of all working-class and >oppressed people on the planet. > >They were also among the subjects of the Sept. 6-8 United >Nations Millennium Summit in New York hosted by U.S. >President Bill Clinton and of the "Millennium Declaration" >adopted by 149 heads of states and national leaders at the >meeting's close. > >Listen to the declaration's words: > >"The world leaders pledged to establish a just and lasting >peace all over the world in accordance with the objectives >and principles of the [UN] charter, and reaffirmed to >support all efforts to uphold the sovereign equality of all >states, respect for their territorial integrity and >political independence, and resolution of disputes by >peaceful means in conformity with the principles of justice >and international law." > >The declaration continues: "They also reaffirmed to support >the right of self-determination of people which remain under >colonial domination and foreign occupation, non-interference >in the internal affairs of states, respect for human rights >and fundamental freedoms, respect for the equal right of all >without distinction to race, sex, language or religion." > >The UN members pledged themselves to, among other things, >halve the number of people living on less than $1 a day by >2015; eradicate AIDS and other diseases ravaging the >developing world, especially Africa; and "ensure that >globalization becomes a positive force for all the world's >people." > >It all sounds wonderful, doesn't it? > >Yet, despite the hopes of the world's people and even of >many presidents and prime ministers of Third World nations >at the summit, the pledge has little substance. It is not in >the interests of the imperialist powers that dominate the UN- >-the United States, Britain, France and others--to fulfill >these hallowed pledges. > >For them, the Millennium Summit was a good photo-op, nothing >more. > >Did the U.S. president, for example, take seriously the >pledge he signed against colonialism, when the United States >continues to occupy Puerto Rico, Guam and other lands as it >has for the past century? > >What about the vow against foreign occupation? There are >37,000 U.S. troops in south Korea, keeping it separated from >the north--and they were put there by a 1950 UN "police >action," no less. > >This hypocrisy was apparent to the leaders of many oppressed >countries and peoples who made their feelings known at the >meeting, like President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa. > >"The poor of the world stand at the gates of comfortable >mansions occupied by each and every king and queen, >president, prime minister and minister privileged to attend >this unique meeting," Mbeki told the delegates. "The >question these billions ask is--what are you doing, you in >whom we have placed our trust, what are you doing to end the >deliberate and savage violence against us that every day >sentences many of us to a degrading and unnecessary death? > >"Those who stand at the gates are desperately hungry for >food, for no fault of their own. They die from preventable >diseases for no fault of their own. > >"Part of the naked truth," Mbeki continued, "is that the >second millennium provided humanity with the capital, the >technology and the human skills to end poverty and >underdevelopment throughout the world. Another part of that >truth is that we have refused to use this enormous capacity >to end the contemporary, deliberate and savage violence of >poverty and underdevelopment. > >"Our collective rhetoric conveys promise," the South African >president concluded. "The offense is that our actions >communicate the message that, in reality, we do not care. We >are indifferent. Our actions say the poor must bury the >poor." (ANC Web site) > >TORN BY CONTRADICTIONS > >Since its creation in 1945 the United Nations has been a >body torn by internal contradictions. Its charter, declaring >peace, prosperity and the brotherhood and sisterhood of >nations, echoes the Great French Revolution of 1789. But it >has never amounted to more than words on paper. > >Why? Because the UN attempts to contain within itself >irreconcilable forces: oppressing and oppressed nations, >bourgeois and workers' states. > >Inevitably, inexorably, the UN became the tool of the >imperialist nations that founded it at the end of World War >II. > >Take, for example, President Clinton's main intervention at >the summit. He, too, said the UN must "confront the iron >link between deprivation, disease and war." > >But how does he propose to do this? By creating a rapid-fire >military force at the command of the U.S.-dominated UN >Security Council. "They need to be able to be peacekeepers >who can be rapidly deployed, properly trained and equipped, >able to project credible force," Clinton said. > >The contradiction is most explicitly demonstrated by the >dichotomy between the Security Council, dominated by the >U.S., Britain and France, and the General Assembly, where >oppressed nations constitute the majority. Through arm- >twisting, bribery, sheer economic might and their veto >power, the imperialists on the Security Council dominate >political and economic matters. The General Assembly and the >UN's affiliated organizations, while often critical of the >Security Council, have no power. > >One way that Washington dominates, many leaders said, is by >withholding $1.8 billion in back dues that could help the >UN's underfunded health, nutrition and social services >programs for poor countries. > >Cuban President Fidel Castro voiced the anger of many UN >members when he said, "There has not even been any mention >of radically reforming this longstanding institution, which >came into existence more than 50 years ago when there were >only a few independent countries, of converting it into an >agency which is truly representative of the interests of the >people of the world, without anybody having access to >irritating and undemocratic veto power..." (Granma >International Web site) > >Those countries that have attempted what President Mbeki >described--using the technology, wealth and skills of modern >industry to build a society that is just and equitable--have >been warred against by the United States and other >imperialist powers, both within and outside the UN's walls. > >It doesn't matter whether it is a country trying to build >socialism, like People's China, which Washington prevented >for 25 years from taking its rightful seat in the UN, or a >nationalist regime like Iraq, which has suffered 1.5 million >deaths after 10 years of sanctions imposed by the Security >Council. > >What happened to "non-interference in the internal affairs >of countries"? > >At one time, the oppressed countries had more of a voice in >the UN, even when the U.S. used it as a blunt instrument of >military intervention in Korea and other areas. That was >when the socialist USSR--second in military might only to >the U.S.--held a seat on the Security Council. > >Then, at least, the Palestinians, anti-apartheid movement >and Irish liberation forces had a voice--and even won votes >in favor of their causes in the General Assembly. > >With the destruction of the USSR and the retreat of China >from international solidarity, however, the UN became even >more a U.S. plaything. Other forums for Third World >countries, like the Non-Aligned Movement, became easier for >the imperialist powers to ignore. > >Still, with so few opportunities to have a voice in >international affairs, the leaders of many countries-- >especially the remaining socialist states and those headed >by governments growing out of national-liberation movements-- >struggled to be heard in New York. > >Their message is an important one for the working-class, >progressive and anti-imperialist movement in the United >States to hear. > >LEADERS SPEAK > >Vietnam President Tran Duc Luong said addressing poverty and >narrowing the gap between rich and poor nations should be >the UN's top priority in the 21st century. He called for >"economic and commercial cooperation on the basis of >equality, non-discrimination and satisfactory assistance and >preference to poor countries." (Vietnam News, Sept. 10) > >Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz denounced the efforts >of some Security Council members to put a human face on a >brutal policy with their rhetoric of "better targeting >sanctions" to ease civilian suffering. > >"[Sanctions'] use should be restricted," Aziz said, adding, >"They should not be held hostage to the will of the United >States of America, which hijacked the resolution on the >lifting of sanctions on Iraq [in December 1999] from the >Security Council to exploit it in the service of its own >interests and hostile policies." (Associated Press, Sept. 7) > >Libyan Foreign Minister Abdurrahman Shalghem agreed, calling >sanctions "terrorist." His country, like Iraq, has been >targeted by the United States for brutal economic blockade >because his government defied U.S. hegemony in the Middle >East and Northern Africa. > >Shalghem offered a very different definition of terrorism >from the one used by the U.S. to demonize those who defy >Wall Street's dictates. Shalghem said terrorism is >"sanctions, resorting to brutal force, the threat of such >force, conditions laid down by the World Bank, International >Monetary Fund and World Trade Organization, nuclear arms and >weapons of mass destruction." > >Shalghem called for the imperialist powers to pay >reparations to their former colonies "for the persecution >inflicted upon them, the destruction caused to their >environment, and for their resources and cultural properties >that have been plundered." (Reuters, Sept. 9) > >Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez joined in calling for an >end to the blockades against Iraq, Cuba and other countries. >He also slammed Washington's growing military intervention >in Colombia's civil war. > >"The only solution for Colombia is peace. Sending helicopter >gunships to Colombia will not achieve peace," Chavez said. >(Times of India, Sept. 9) > >Challenging U.S. and British efforts to demonize him for >supporting landless Black workers' expropriations of white >landowners' farms, Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe told a >Harlem meeting Sept. 7, "We will not go back. > >"If the new millennium, like the last, remains an age of >hegemonic empires and conquerors doing the same old things >in new technological ways, remains the age of the master >race, the master economy and the master state, then I am >afraid we in developing countries will have to stand up as a >matter of principle and say, 'Not again.'" > >President Castro was also blunt. > >"The 30 developed and wealthy nations which have the >monopoly over economic, technological and political power >are meeting here with us to offer us more of the same >prescriptions that have only served to make us steadily >poorer, more exploited and more dependent. > >"There is nothing in the existing economic and political >order that can serve the interests of humankind," Castro >said. "Thus, it is unsustainable and it must be changed." >(Granma International Web site) > >Castro, the leader of a small, poor, blockaded island >nation, was one of the few heads of state to offer a >substantial proposal. He offered the UN's World Health >Organization up to 3,000 Cuban doctors to go to sub-Saharan >Africa and help impoverished and exploited countries train >medical personnel and create a health care infrastructure. >He challenged the European powers to provide AIDS medicines >to those countries at low cost. > >- END - > >(Copyleft Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to >copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but >changing it is not allowed. For more information contact >Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message to: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org) > > > > > > > > > > > >Message-ID: <01fb01c0209b$4aa01a00$0a00a8c0@linux> >From: "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: [WW] Mugabe defends land takeovers >Date: Sun, 17 Sep 2000 07:34:50 -0400 >Content-Type: text/plain; > charset="Windows-1252" >Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Sept. 21, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >MUGABE DEFENDS LAND TAKEOVERS AT HARLEM MEETING > >By John Catalinotto >New York > >Throughout last spring and summer, the establishment media >in the United States and Britain took aim at President >Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe for his support for landless >veterans who had taken back the nation's farmland from >wealthy farmers. > >Washington and London also want to stop Zimbabwe from giving >military support to the more independence-minded government >of Laurent Kabila in Congo. That country is defending itself >from an imperialist-backed assault from Uganda and Rwanda >disguised as a civil war. > >This first week of September, President Mugabe had a chance >to defend himself and his 11.1 million people here in New >York as he attended the so-called Millennium Summit of the >United Nations. He did this both at a meeting of thousands >of people at the Mount Olive Baptist Church in Harlem and at >the UN itself. > >Mugabe was the acknowledged leader of Zimbabwe's >independence struggle, which in 1980 won freedom from >British and settler rule in the state called Rhodesia. >Because the struggle ended in a compromise, settler-farmers >kept their control of the lion's share of arable land. This >land was supposed to be turned over to the African >population, with Britain--the former colonial power-- >compensating the big farmers. > >With Britain still refusing to implement this part of the >agreement, veterans of Zimbabwe's independence war have >begun to seize land holdings and squat on them. Instead of >using the police and army to put out the squatters, Mugabe >gave political support to these struggles. > >LAND STRUGGLE CONTINUES > >When he spoke before the UN on Sept. 8, Mugabe defended the >land seizures: "Our conscience is clear. We will not go >back. We shall continue to effect economic and social >justice for all our people without fear or favor. > >"We have sought to redress this inequity through a fast- >track land reform and resettlement program. My country, my >government, my party and my person are labeled 'land >grabbers,' demonized, reviled and threatened with sanctions >in the face of accusations of reverse-racism. > >"If the new millennium, like the last, remains an age of >hegemonic empires and conquerors doing the same old things >in new technological ways, remains the age of the master >race, the master economy and the master state, then I am >afraid we in developing countries will have to stand up as a >matter of principle and say, 'Not again.'" > >MUGABE UNDER ATTACK IN CONGRESS > >Even as he spoke in New York, Mugabe was again under attack >in the United States. Congress has begun discussing a bill >euphemistically entitled "The Zimbabwe Democracy Act." Like >a similarly titled law aimed at socialist Cuba, it lays down >criteria that allow Washington to put severe economic >pressure on that African country and allocates funds to >intervene in Zimbabwe's internal affairs. > >The bill specifically criticizes Zimbabwe's aid to Congo. >"The crisis in Zimbabwe," it reads, "is further exacerbated >by the fact that Zimbabwe is spending millions of dollars >each month on its involvement in the civil war in the >Democratic Republic of Congo." > >It also attacks land seizures without compensation, >insisting that "the Government of Zimbabwe" must demonstrate >"a commitment to an equitable, legal, and transparent land >reform program which should respect existing ownership of >and title to property by providing fair, market-based >compensation to sellers." Of course this doesn't recognize >that the land was stolen from Africans in the first place >under Britain's colonial rule. > >And it threatens that unless those and other conditions are >met, the U.S. can allow no debt relief and other >international bodies cannot extend aid to Zimbabwe. > >It also tries to support the opposition to Mugabe and his >party's leadership of the Zimbabwean government and implies >that a new government would receive increased aid from the >U.S. It is blatant interference in the internal affairs of >an African nation. > >In addition, members of that opposition, acting in concert >with U.S. authorities, served Mugabe with a civil lawsuit >filed in U.S. district court alleging that before Zimbabwe's >election he orchestrated a campaign of violence to keep his >political party in office. > >They filed the case under a 211-year-old law that allows >foreigners to sue in U.S. courts for violations of >international law. The lawsuit seeks about $400 million in >damages from Mugabe. > >This is similar to a civil suit brought against Radovan >Karadzic, the Bosnian Serb leader. That suit resulted Aug. >10 in a $745-million verdict. Another lawsuit was filed >Sept. 1 against former Chinese Premier Li Peng, regarding >his role in suppressing the attempted counterrevolution in >Tiananmen Square in 1989. > >These suits, like the one against Mugabe, pretend to be >about human rights but in fact are aimed at providing >justification, or at least a figleaf, for constant U.S. >intervention around the world in the interests of corporate >profits. > >- END - > >(Copyleft Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to >copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but >changing it is not allowed. For more information contact >Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message to: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org) > > > > > >Message-ID: <020301c0209b$5ba789a0$0a00a8c0@linux> >From: "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: [WW] Vietnam leader addresses supporters > _______________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi _______________________________________________________ Kominform list for general information. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Anti-Imperialism list for anti-imperialist news. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________________
