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| Manik Mukherjee |
The Beirut International Forum for Resistance, Anti-imperialism, Solidarity between Peoples, and Alternatives was held at Beirut on January 16 -18, 2009. It was jointly convened by the following:
a. The Consultative Center for Studies and Documentation in Beirut,
b. The International Anti-imperialist and People's Solidarity Coordinating Committee (IAPSCC) (Calcutta, India Conference),
c. The International Campaign against American and Zionist Occupation (Cairo Conference),
d. The Stop War Campaign (London),
e. The National Gathering to Support the Choice of Resistance (Lebanon)
In addition, hundreds of resistance organizations and prominent individuals endorsed the call for the Beirut Forum. It was the Second International Anti-imperialist Conference held under the aegis of the IAPSCC, and Manik Mukherjee, its General Secretary traveled to different countries to ensure wide international participation. Comrade Prachanda, Prime Minister of Nepal accepted the invitation of IAPSCC and planned to be present at the Conference. But urgent official work held him back and he sent a solidarity message extending full support to the objectives of IAPSCC. The Baath Arab Socialist party of Syria responded to the invitation of IAPSCC by sending a three-member delegation to the Conference. In response to the invitation of IAPSCC the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela sent a 30-member Parliamentary delegation including Amilcar Figueroa (President Alternate of the Latin American Parliament), Victor Chirinos (President of the Venezuelan Parliamentary Group of the Latin American Parliament), Giuson Flores (Vice-president of Inter-parliamentary Relations of the VPG of the Latin American Parliament), Carolus Wimmer (Vice-president of Commissions of the VPG of the Latin American Parliament, and Secretariat member of IAPSCC)
The Conference was a tremendous success with the participation of around 450 international and Arab bodies, in addition to social movements and figures from 66 countries. It was held at a time when Israel launched a barbaric attack on the Palestinians in Gaza, and when the whole world is facing financial, economic and political crises resulting from the imperialist policies of war and hegemonism. The forum aimed at reinforcing the possibility of building an alternative world based on the principles of respecting humanity as a whole and defending the vulnerable and oppressed in the world.
PLENARY SESSIONS
The Opening Plenary Session on January 16 at the UNESCO Palace exhibition hall was presided over by Dr. Ali Fayyad, Director of the Consultative Centre for Studies and Documentation, who said "In this part of the world the resistance is Islamic. The resistance movement here must introduce themselves to other forces of resistance to imperialism around the world. The ideological differences must be postponed. The resistance must prevail. ... An important goal of the forum is how, despite the ideological contradictions, to find how to work together hand in hand to achieve unity against imperialism". Welcoming the delegates Comrade Manik Mukherjee, General Secretary of IAPSCC said that the Conference was held at a place where Israel suffered a humiliating defeat in 2006, and at a critical time when the Israelis have unleashed a barbaric attack on the Palestinian people of Gaza. He said that we cannot dream of any lasting peace on earth till the scourge of imperialism is wiped off from the face of the earth and socialism is established. Let us all return from this Conference with a vow to dedicate ourselves to this struggle till final victory is achieved. Mr. Ramsey Clark, Director of International Action Centre, and President of IAPSCC talked of the great betrayal of the Palestinian people by the UN and the international community who relegated the whole Palestinian population to years and years of misery, death and destruction. He said that his own country USA was guilty of launching aggression and war in Korea, Vietnam, Guatemala, in Africa, in Afghanistan, in Iraq. Comrade Mohammad Kassem, Central Secretariat member of IAPSCC and an important organizer for the Conference said, "For the first time, in Lebanon, we have created a platform for struggling people all over the world, secular, nationalist, leftist and Islamic to speak their views and work together, against the wars in Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan, against the threats to Iran and the sanctions on Sudan, against the blockade of Cuba and the attempts to block the revolutionary direction in Venezuela, Bolivia and across Latin America. ... We are building mechanisms of international cooperation and South-South solidarity, and we plan to intensify those efforts in the future." Dr. Yehia Gaddar and others addressed the assembled delegates representing the other co-convening organizations. Professor Walden Bellow of Philippines, Professor Francois Houtart of Belgium and Mr. Victor Chirinos of Venezuela spoke representing the continents of Asia, Europe and South America. The Plenary Session ended with a forceful speech by Hezbullah's Deputy Secretary General Mr. Naeem Qasim who said, that today there are only two camps in the world - the one of US imperialism and its allies and the other one of the resistances regardless of their ideological, cultural or religious affiliation. The resistances must be unified against its common enemy which is only possible by respecting the diversity. Gaza today is the symbol of resistance, and human dignity and he called upon all to stand with Gaza to scatter the darkness of imperialism and Zionism.
In the special Plenary Session on Palestine held on the second day, called in the background of Israeli aggression in Gaza, the Hamas representative described the horrific suffering and heroic resistance of Gaza's people and called for political solidarity so that the people of Palestine would not lose diplomatically what they defended on the battlefield. Comrade Sara Flounders, Co-Director, International Action Centre and Secretariat member of IAPSCC said that the imperialist powers hope that by attacking heroic Gaza they can push back and demoralize the struggle in the whole region. Gaza is a harbinger of wider war against oppressed people of the world. Saluting the resistances in Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Iran and so many other places she stressed that we need to heighten the struggle against imperialists, against USA, against NATO, against Israel. Ajanta Ghosh representing the IAPSCC hailed the heroic resistance offered by the people at Gaza. She mentioned that throughout India in many cities people have come out expressing solidarity with the people of Gaza and staged demonstrations demanding immediate withdrawal of the invading Israeli forces. She voiced the resentment of the Indian people that the ruling powers in India are siding with the imperialists, forsaking the Palestinian cause which it had professed to uphold in the past. Many delegates from the Arab world, from Latin America pledged solidarity with Gaza's struggle. Representatives from Greece and Cyprus told of their efforts to break the blockade on Gaza physically and of how Greek dockworkers had refused to load U.S. arms bound for Israel. Ms. Cynthia McKinney, former US Congressperson and US Presidential candidate narrated how the ship Dignity which was trying to bring medical aid to Gaza was rammed by the Israeli Navy. She declared with conviction that because of the inspiring resistance in Gaza, and our united support, the people of Palestine will win.
WORKSHOPS
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| Ramsey Clark |
After the two Plenary Sessions six Workshops were held in parallel sessions. The Workshops were:
1. Workshop on Supporting Resistance and Liberation,
2. Workshop on Anti- Imperialism and Solidarity between Peoples,
3. Workshop on Supporting Political Alternatives,
4. The Parliamentarians' Workshop,
5. Workshop on Solidarity between Local Communities and Sectors,
6. Workshop on Defending Legal and Civic Rights.
A large number of delegates took part in the Workshops. Important papers were presented and there were lively discussions and interventions. Delegates from India and Secretariat members of IAPSCC had important presence in the Workshops. The opening session of the Workshop on Resistance was chaired by Mr. Ramsey Clark and Comrade Ranjit Dhar, Secretariat member of IAPSCC, was a speaker. He said that today the imperialist powers led by USA are on a rampage, trampling democracy, flouting international laws, invading countries and barbarically slaughtering common people. But side by side resistance and liberation movements are also gaining ground. In all corners of the globe the people are challenging, and at places successfully repelling the overlordism and brigandage of US imperialists with grit and determination. What is of prime importance today is that any attack on any country must be considered by the people of fellow countries as an attack on all of them by world imperialism led by US imperialists. Hence, it should be incumbent on all of them to rise up against any such attack, resist and repel them all. If such co-ordination and fraternity among the fighting people of the world could be developed, it would not only give fillip to the democratic movements in each country but would also enfeeble the enemy to a great extent. In another Session of the Workshop on Resistance Comrade Dhruba Mukherjee, General Secretary of AIAIF, was a speaker. He highlighted the imperialist attack in the cultural arena and said that we have to strive to bring about and strengthen the unity and solidarity of the working people of the world that would be capable of waging an uncompromising fight to break the global chain of imperialism. The basis of this unity would have to be the commitment to fight against the common enemy of capitalism and imperialism. Without a clear focus of anti-capitalist struggle we shall not be able to resist globalization or to resist imperialist aggression. Our struggle will have to be built on a vision of social justice, equality, people's welfare and their emancipation from capitalist exploitation. In the Workshop on Solidarity between Local Communities and Sectors, Comrade Amitava Chatterjee, a speaker, said that imperialist penetration and war have always been accompanied by cultural war., and the present situation calls for an all out struggle encompassing culture and ethics against capitalism and imperialism. He mentioned about the heroic battle of the peasants of Nandigram against forcible eviction in order to set up Special Economic Zones for the benefit of national and foreign capitalists, and how people from all walks of life came forward to stand by the peasants of Nandigram. The sustained struggle could ultimately force the Government to retreat and withdraw its proposal.
CONCLUDING SESSION
At the concluding session Dr. Ali Fayyad presented the document based
on the presentations and discussions in the plenary Sessions and in the
Workshops.
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