Laal Theatre performs ‘Machine’ in Lahore

China and Socialism

Speech by the represeantative of the Communist Party of China on the Eleventh International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties

Mr. Chairman, fellow delegates:

It’s an honor for me and my colleges to be delegated by the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China to attend this gathering of the International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties.

First of all, allow me to convey to you the warm greetings and best wishes of our minister Wang Jiarui and his deputies in the department. This IMCWP is an important platform for communist parties across the world to share information, exchange ideas and hold discussion on certain issues. So far, 10 conferences have been held successfully and today, we are gathered here in New Delhi to witness the opening of the eleventh IMCWP conference.

Secondly, I would like to take this opportunity to brief you on new development in China and recent endeavors of the CPC. The financial crisis originated from the United States last year has seriously affected the economy and the livelihood of countries in the world. Due to the bad impact of the crisis, the year 2009 has been the most difficult year for China’s economic development since the beginning of this century. In order to deal with this crisis and maintain the steady and rapid economic growth, the CPC and the Chinese government timely adjusted the macroeconomic policies by adopting a proactive fiscal policy and a moderately relaxed monetary policy, and formulated a package plan to expand domestic—demand and promote growth. A two-year investment plan with a total amount of 4 trillion Yuan is implemented involving greatly increased government spending to boost domestic demand and improve people’s livelihood. Structural tax relief policies were put in place bringing about several interest rate cuts to allow liquidity of the banking system and to stabilize external demand. A wide-ranging industrial restructuring and rejuvenation program was initiated to encourage innovation and enhance energy conservation, emission reduction and environment protection. Great efforts have been made to expand domestic market, especially the rural market, stabilize agricultural development and increase farmers’ income. Effective measures have been taken to reform the social security system to ensure access to basic medical service, free compulsory education as well as affordable housing for urban and rural residents so that they can be free of worries.

Another side of the Berlin Wall

by Greg Butterfield

Twenty years ago, a labor organization was on strike under very difficult conditions.

This workers’ organization and its leadership were castigated by the corporate media. The bosses threatened, cajoled and bribed people to cross the picket line. Scabs were brought in.

The heads of the international union colluded with the capitalists to undermine the strike.

Eventually, the strike was lost. But that wasn’t enough for the bosses.

Not satisfied with lowering the workers’ wages and benefits and breaking the union, they sent their state apparatus after the strike leaders with accusations of heinous crimes. The former president was driven into exile to escape prosecution.

The labor organization in question was Amalgamated Transit Workers Union Local 1202, which went on strike against behemoth Greyhound Bus Lines in February 1990.

But everything written above also applies to the German Democratic Republic –socialist East Germany–and the fall of the Berlin Wall a few months earlier, in November 1989. Both the capitalist class and some misinformed progressives have been crowing over the 20th anniversary of that event.

Picket line means ‘Do Not Cross!’

Ask anyone who’s been on strike if it is ever okay to cross a picket line, and you will likely hear a resounding “No!”

The Berlin Wall–so maligned and condemned by war-making imperialists and hand-wringing liberals alike–was nothing but a picket line on a much larger scale.

The wall was erected in 1961 in response to provocations from U.S. imperialism and its West German junior partner meant to destroy the attempt to build socialism in eastern Germany. These provocations included infiltrating East Berlin with anti-communist agents, military threats, and bribing specialists whose labor was need by the workers’ state—the so-called “brain drain.”

The disgusting myth that the Berlin Wall was erected to destroy the freedom of Berliners, immortalized in President John F. Kennedy’s famous speech, is just the opposite of the truth. The capitalist powers wanted to crush the working class’ freedom to build a society unchained from the profit motive.

The Berlin Wall was a world away from the apartheid wall built by Israel around Palestinian population centers, the U.S./South Korean military wall that separates family members from North Korea, or the expanded U.S. wall against immigrants on the border with Mexico.

What is the difference? Those walls are aimed at repressing the workers and oppressed.

The Berlin Wall, by contrast, was built in defense of the workers and oppressed.

Socialist Germany’s accomplishments

The GDR wasn’t the product of a classical revolutionary uprising. It was formed by an alliance of German communist, socialist, and workers’ movements that had resisted Nazism and survived World War II, and the Soviet Red Army that liberated the eastern part of the country, all under the military and economic pressure of the U.S.-initiated Cold War. It was only established after U.S. imperialism and their new allies in the vanquished German ruling class had begun to build up West Germany as a bulwark of aggression against the USSR and its allies.

In some ways, it was a halfway house of socialism.

But whatever its faults, the GDR was a workers’ state that provided jobs, housing and health care for all its residents. It provided aid and support, including military and medical aid, to national liberation movements throughout the world, including the struggle against apartheid in southern Africa.

The GDR provided a safe haven for refugees from fascist terror in countries like Chile and Argentina. Socialist Germany also provided jobs and education for guest workers and students from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East–many of whom were terrorized or driven out by fascist attackers in the early 1990s after reunification with imperialist West Germany.

East Germany was far ahead of any country in the world in lesbian/gay/bi/trans rights and freedoms. The gay liberation movement as we know it grew up within the German socialist and communist movements of the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Regarding women’s rights to education, jobs and housing, and especially in establishing extensive child care, the GDR made enormous strides. Much of this progress was wiped away when the GDR fell.

The German Democratic Republic had a right to defend its sovereignty from imperialism, all the more so since the border between East and West Germany was also the border between the imperialist and the pro-socialist world camps.

Those who cannot or will not defend the right of a workers’ organization to defend itself—whether it is a union, a resistance movement or a workers’ state—will never be able to carry out a successful revolutionary struggle.

Sincere revolutionaries have to learn this lesson, and it is incumbent on those of us who lived through those terrible setbacks to help educate new generations.

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Articles copyright 1995-2009 Workers World. Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire article is permitted in any medium without royalty provided this notice is preserved.

Colonial Rule in Gilgit Baltistan

by Danish Khan

The rich mountainous region of Gilgit Baltistan has become a new habitat of the most horrific and brutal parasite. The detail scientific study of parasites revealed that parasites live on the expense of their host. The brand name of the parasite under discussion is Pakistani military establishment. Unfortunately the host is the region of Gilgit and Baltistan. The discussion about the threat and danger this parasite possess is not even an issue. The major host of this parasite known as Balochistan is a classical example of blood sucking of its host.

The Pakistani state and media treating the region of Gilgit Baltistan like it was never an issue. One should ask them in last 62 years where were the people of Gilgit Baltistan? Why you never bother to establish a democratic political setup in the region? Now all of the sudden they have started to run the election campaign in the region. What are the aspirations and ambitions behind it? How on earth the people of Gilgit Baltistan can trust the most hypocrite state run by the military and Feudal Landlords. The region of Gilgit Baltistan was and it is the part of the state of the Jammu and Kashmir, the Karachi accord of 1949 was a joke with the people of Gilgit Baltistan. The ruling classes of Kashmir and the Pakistan are the culprits of the people of Gilgit Baltistan. Constitutionally Pakistan has absolutely no authority over the region to decide the fate of the two million people of disputed Jammu and Kashmir. It is a violation of the UN resolution which has only mandated temporary administrative authority over this region till the dispute is resolved.

The breath taking mountainous region of Gilgit Baltistan is the most underdeveloped region of the sub continent. Alarmingly low literacy level, the absence of industry, deplorable roads and communication links, the lack of energy resources, and the lack of job opportunities have fuelled the resentment and rebellion amongst the people in the region. The left of the Pakistani Occupied Kashmir has created a new network with the progressive elements in the Gilgit Baltistan. A new red wave of revolution is starting to breeze in the mountains. Pakistani ruling classes are behaving like colonial powers in the region and imposing their own institutions against the popular will of the people of this unfortunate region. The progressive forces of the region have totally rejected this oppression by the Pakistan.

The resources of the region should be used for the welfare of the people of that region. It is understood that in the present colonial status of the Jammu and Kashmir, the resources have been exploited by the ruling classes of both Pakistan and India. Thus it is dialectical need of the time to have a national democratic revolution in the region, which will overthrow the oppressive arm forces of the both imperial countries. The emancipation of the people of Jammu and Kashmir can play an important role in the victory of the working class people of the Pakistan and India. It is a time of collaboration among the progressive left of the region. The left of Pakistan and Kashmir are showing solidarity by marching in the capital against the colonial rule over the people of Gilgit Baltistan. The message of red revolution has been started echoing in the mountainous region. The new dawn is in not far away when the slogan of revolution “Har zulm ka aik jawab, Inquilab Inquilab” will find its way through the mountains and it will reach in the every city and the slum of the country.

WPC: Resolution on Peace-disturbing role of USA in Pakistan

The EC meeting of WPC strongly condemns the Anti-people role being played by USA in Pakistan. Imperialism has adapted hostile policy of creating war hysteria after tilt of world power balance in 1991 in favour of war mongering imperialist forces headed by USA. This policy is being continuously followed.

Iraq and Afghanistan have been occupied in the name of so- called war against terrorism. Pakistan is rapidly becoming the next target. Imperialism’s own creatures, the Taliban, have created an atmosphere of terror across the Pakistan. This situation is being utilized as a justification for American open and covert activities of destabilizing the area.

Drone attacks deep inside Pakistan are been carried out. US Embassy and Consulates in Islamabad, Karachi and Peshawar are being converted into military complexes. Private armies like Black Water and XE are openly working in Pakistan under American Patronage. This meeting of WPC demands that Pakistan’s independence and sovereignty should fully be respected. It demands immediate evacuation of bases and withdrawal of regular and private military forces from Pakistani soil and cessation of Drone attacks

DAMASCUS, SYRIA

OCTOBER 24, 2009

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

World Peace Council (WPC)

Hasan Nasir

by Syed Ehtisham

Scion of an aristocratic family of Hyderabad, Deccan, Hasan Nasir was a student at the Cambridge University in England, when he came under the influence of the communist party, which had a vibrant presence in the academia of UK during the post WW II period.

According to a senior friend, he was on his way to England, when his steamship stopped in Karachi. He went on shore to meet progressive friends, who persuaded him to stay in Karachi.

According to party sources, he was sent by the CPI as assistant to Sajjad Zaheer, who took over as the secretary general of the party in Pakistan.

The CPP was implicated in in the so called Pindi conspiracy case of 1951. besides army, navy and air force officers, Sajjad Zaheer, Faiz Sahib, Hasan Nasir and a few journalists were arrested. Faiz sahib wrote some of his best poetry in Hyderabad Sind jail.

Communist Party of Pakistan, Circular, 29th, October 2009.

The tussle between the elected institutions of Pakistan and the undemocratic, forces of obscurantism and regression has gained greater momentum causing chaos and & uncertainty, which has unfolded in the recent boondoggle of the Army’s General Head Quarter (GHQ) and civilian presidency, forcing the civilian administration to refrain from public welfare and democratic dispensations.

Similarly the differences between the civilian administration of the US President Mr. Obama Hussein and the military complex of PANTAGON, is now a day light matter.

The sheer lack of acumen, in addition to political infancy on the part of the civilian government of Pakistan, has offered an excellent opportunity for the undemocratic forces of medievalism, and fundamentalism to hatch overt and covert ploys, to uproot the democratically elected infrastructure.
The present democratic political government bodies, certainly came into being as result of the out of way reaction shown by the people of Sindh province over the then heinous assassination of the twice former prime minister of Pakistan Ms. Benazir Bhutto at the hands of described above forces of infinite evil.

These undemocratic obscurantism forces have now conceived to launch a stalemating blow on the government, by ruse engineered anti govt echoes from sindh, so as to replicate that, the people of Sindh have now withdrawn their support and mandate for the elected government as incompetent and clumsy in the matters of governance. This press statement was issued by comrade Imdad Qazi, a central spokesperson of the Communist Party of Pakistan at the conclusion of the central secretariat meeting at the party’s central secretariat office at, Nasim Nagar -111/ D, Hydrabad .

The meeting was chaired by Secretary General, comrade Chacha Maula Bux Khaskheli .

Comrade Qazi, further disclosed, that the central leadership of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N)has also gone split away into two poles, as the meeting of Army chief General Kyani, with Ch. Nisar and Shahbaz Sharif indicates their slip towards the undemocratic antagonistic camp, where the other half, pretends to hold the present political dispensation intact seeking the role of legitimate parliamentary opposition .

Comrade Qazi, hence forth highlighted that, the unfortunate sheer indifferent attitude of the Pakistan peoples party’s govt about the urgent public issues, like its predecessors PML-Q has shocked the people, which will end up in total devastation and regress of the infantile democratic infrastructures . With this, CPP demands the PPP govt, to address the people’s needs, lower the prices for sugar, flour, edible oil, utility and petroleum products as the present sky rocketing inflationary and devaluation of the national currency has broken the purchasing back bone of the common people, so its better the govt halt dragging the people towards beggary and create working, job opportunities in order to reinstate the people’s trust in the democratic dispensations.

Socialism i Amal

Baloch poem by Gul Khan Nasir with English translation:

Marchi dunya pa tarr o taab aa inth
Socialism ai amal pa daab aa inth

Sindh ai waddayra waaja lakkaanee
Lenin ai thaw gwashe jawaab aa inth

Chaudhary zar shulunchen Punjaab ai
Socialism aa pa paych o thaab aa inth

Khan saahib gon sheethagaan zarr ai
Gham aa mazdoor ai cho rabaab aa inth

Mir saahib Baloch ai kaandaalen
Mao Tse Tung ai cho kithaab aa inth

Man kay marzaan kaheebee gupthaaraan
Dil man angaaraan cho kabaab aa inth

Dung aa osaartha kilakkaa darwesh ai
Qaatil ai fikr gon sawaab aa inth

Duzz kot waalee aa pa dilmaan inth
Heeken duzz-paal cho sahaab aa inth

Gurk lotith shuwaanee aa ramag ai
Pishee peegaanee washain waab aa inth

Mosh dilmaanag inth pa anpaan aa
Thola murgh aa pa chait o thaab aa inth

Zarr o zoraanee waaja bay hoshain
Korain syaah maaray man ziraab aa inth

Aqal peenz aa inth waaja kaaraanee
Bojee ish fikr ai neen saraab aa inth

Cho na zaananth ay mir o waddayra
Paad saamraaj ay man rakaab aa inth

Waahren kaaree o bazzagen dehqaan
Siraynish basthag pa inqalaab aa inth

Dap labeesee ay daur gwastha shutha
Neen hamaa beeth kay man kithaab aa inth

Usthamaan wath wathee neen boothaar inth
Waajag ai waajagee habaab aa inth

Aa bigindith Nasir maujaanee
Bayrakay zurtha cho gulaab aa inth

English Translation
(I’ll do my best to try and translate this poem accurately)

Today, the world is changing fast
Socialism’s charm is in full swing

Sindh’s Wadera, with a bank balance of millions
Is telling Lenin how socialism should be

Punjab’s rich andpompous Chaudary
Is twisting and twining socialism

Khan Sahib (of The Pashtuns), whose pockets are full ofcash
Is (pretending to be) trembling in agony [like thestrings of a violin]

On the pain of the proletariat
Mir Sahib (of the Balochs) is looting the impoverishedBaloch farmers (not the big landlords)

On pretext of enacting land reforms (like Mao)
Even as I am uttering these words

The fire burning in my heart is barbecuing it
The dacoit has donned the mendicant’s garments

The murderer’s thoughts are of earning rewards from God
The defendant wants to be the judge

Thieving pigs desire to be compared to friends of theProphet
The wolf yearns to be made the shepherd of the sheep

The cat dreams of getting pieces of fresh meat
The mouse is craving for flour

The jackal is impatient to get its hands on the hen
The rich and powerful are asleep

The black snake (the bourgeoisie) is burning
The bosses’ brains are located in their heels

The ship of their thoughts is sailing towards a mirage
These Mirs and Waderas fail to realize

That imperialism is about to leave (its foot is in thestirrup)
The poor labourers and farmers

Have their loins girded, and are ready for a revolution
The age of flattery has gone

Now things will happen as they do in the books
The public have become their own masters

The bubble of the aristocrats is about to burst
Take a look at the tides of change

Nasir is moving forward with the red flag

(Balochi Poem Written By

Gul Khan Nasir
On 18th October, 1975
In Central Jail Mach)