Skip to main content

More than ever, there is need to strengthen movements against imperialist wars

Groups from Asia Pacific stand for peace, vow to oppose impending war, say, US’ intensified pivot is a threat to the people of Asia Pacific, it hastens the possibility of outright war:

Peace advocates from Japan, Australia, India, South Korea, and the Philippines gather to manifest their unity to oppose all kinds of imperialist aggression in the region. In a global press conference held in Manila, groups from the Asia Pacific are calling for just peace as they sound the alarm on the intensifying tensions between China and the US superpowers. 
“Today, we mark the unity of vulnerable sectors and citizens of Asia Pacific against imperialist wars. We are condemning the US for its intensifying warmongering in the region. The US’ geopolitical and economic rivalry against China is hurting the people and both their aggression will not remain unopposed,” says Liza Maza of the International League of Peoples Struggles (ILPS), one of the main organizers of the event. 
Representatives from the youth, religious groups, indigenous and Moro people, peasant, LGBTQI community, and humanitarian organizations together with peace activists, environmental defenders, and think tanks join the anti-war press conference. The panelists from different countries and sectors discussed the consequences of growing tensions between superpowers.
Oil and war
The rising prices of oil and basic commodities have been highlighted as a ripple effect of the conflict in Ukraine and the West’s sanctions against Russia. “It is important that we see how unregulated oil giants are exploiting the crisis in Ukraine. The US, Saudi, and other oil monopolies that supply oil to many Asian countries are taking advantage of this war crisis to raise the prices,” says Maza. 
The price of Brent crude, the global benchmark, shot up past $124 a barrel earlier this month. This came after the European Union announced that it would slash 90% of its Russian oil imports even though the sanctions will be gradually happening throughout the year. 
Beyond oil price speculation during conflicts, the speakers in the media event stressed issues of human rights, together with the environmental and human cost of war.  
“The possibility of an all-out war is upon us with these superpowers having enough nuclear weapons to destroy one another and the world,” says Asia Pacific Research Network (APRN) General Secretary Alex Enano in the hybrid press conference. 
According to the research group, the US had been more aggressive in brokering military alliances and consolidating its influence in Asia. US president Joe Biden’s flurry of Asia-focused diplomatic efforts includes his first Asia Pacific visit, US-ASEAN summit, the US-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue, Summit for Democracy, and Quad leaders assembly. 
This is on top of the newly launched military tri-alliance AUKUS initiated by the US which intends to develop a wide array of arms technologies along with the controversial acquisition of Australia of nuclear-powered submarines.
“In effect, this has officially transitioned Australia from being a military launchpad to an active major actor in the geopolitical disputes of the region,” says AIDWatch board member and former Australian Senator Lee Rhiannon who is actively campaigning against AUKUS and also present in the event. 

Growing anti-war movement

Enano remarked on how the dominant depiction of wars fails to capture the roots of these conflicts. “We are in a time where the competing interests of imperialist countries are intensifying. However, there is a growing people’s resistance and anti-war movements that dare to oppose these aggressions,” the APRN General Secretary adds. 
Maza stressed that these anti-imperialist war movements, despite being left out in the narratives, are here and growing. “Even in the imperialist's satellites such as Japan and Republic of Korea, there are movements steadfast in opposing the bases, military exercises and policies that threaten people’s rights,” Maza says.
Through teleconferencing, Yoshio Nakamura of the Asia Wide Campaign Against the US- Japanese domination and aggression of Asia (AWC) along with Korean Church leader Rev. Jang Chang Weon joined the event and manifested their solidarity.
The global press conference is also an invitation to other people’s organizations, peace-loving peoples, and CSOs to resist imperialist wars and all forms of foreign aggression. 
“It is clear that US-China rivalry is hurting the people. We don't want another war born out of their geopolitical interests,” says Maza. According to the organizers of the gathering, this declaration of unity is the start of a series of activities and solidarity amongst the people of Asia Pacific. 
While tolling bells to signify their demands for just peace, the different groups shouted calls of solidarity and freedom from war. “More than ever, there is a need to strengthen movements against imperialist wars while building solidarity among peoples asserting their collective democratic rights, self-determination, and social and national liberation,” Maza concludes.

Comments

TRENDING

Crucial to revisit roots, embrace core Hindu principles: love, compassion, harmony

A note on religious leaders'  Satya Dharam Samvad in Haridwar: *** In a groundbreaking gathering, more than 25 religious leaders including Swamis, Acharyas, Pujaris, Gurus, and Sadhvis from all over India convened to discuss the tenets of Hinduism on September 16th, 2023, in Haridwar, to discuss and discern the current trajectory of Hinduism. This brand new initiative, the Satya Dharam Samvad, was inspired to organize its first assembly in response to the December 2021 Dharma Sansad, where hate speech and calls for violence against the Muslim community contravened the essential principles of Hinduism. Religion is being used to incite riots among Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Jains, etc. In the face of such hatred, Swami Raghavendra felt that something meaningful should be done in the present climate. 

Maoist tendency of mechanically adhering to Chinese path ignores Indian conditions

By Harsh Thakor  The C.P.I. (Maoist) formed in 2004 with merger of the C.P.I. (M.L) Peoples War and the Maoist Communist Centre has demonstrated courage in intensity compared to any great revolutionary struggle in the history of the world. It leads the largest armed movement of a Peoples Guerrilla Army in the world today and proved themselves as the true torch bearers of the Indian Communist movement.

Significant step towards empowering and particularly engaging with informal workers

ActionAid note on drive to empower informal sector workers Odisha with the support of District Labour Department: *** The Odisha Unorganised Workers Social Security Board (OUWSSB) facilitated an Unorganized Workers Awareness Camp at the Red Cross Bhawan in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. The event took place in collaboration with the District Labour Department at Khordha, Centre for Child and Women Development and ActionAid Association. This informative event aimed at empowering informal sector workers by disseminating crucial information regarding their eligibility for various social security schemes provided by the Government of Odisha.

We need to resurrect Neruda, give birth to poets of his kind amidst neofascist rampage

By Harsh Thakor  On 23rd September we commemorate the 50th death anniversary of Pablo Neruda, whose contribution to revolutionary poetry was path breaking. Pablo Neruda’s poetry manifested the spiritual essence of revolutionary poetry and how poetry was a weapon for a revolutionary struggle. The story of his life illustrated the spiritual transformation undergone a human being to transform him into a revolutionary and how environment shapes the lie of revolutionary.

Grassroots NGO enlightens people of Kupwara with intricacies of Right to Information

J&K RTI Foundation and Founder Civil Rights Movement Kupwara note on how RTI Pend is empowering Kupwara with insights on Right to Information Act: *** RTI Pend, the grassroots initiative aimed at democratizing access to information, hosted its 2nd event in Kupwara. On the request of the Civil Rights Movement Kupwara, this event was tailored to enlighten the people of Kupwara with the intricacies of the Right to Information Act, presented in their local language and dialects. The event successfully bridged both offline and online participation, addressing queries on the spot and offering applicants practical solutions.

Dev Anand ably acted as westernised, urban educated, modern hero, as also anti-hero

By Harsh Thakor  On September 26th we celebrated the birth centenary of legendary actor Dev Anand. Dev Saab carved out a new epoch or made a path breaking contribution in portraying romanticism and action in Bollywood cinema, giving his style or mannerisms a new colour. Arguably no Bollywood star manifested glamour in such a dignified or serene manner or struck the core of an audience’s soul in romantic melodies. Possibly we missed this evergreen star being cast in a Hollywood film. Dev Anand is like an inextinguishable soul of Bollywood. Although not as artistic or intense as Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor or Ashok Kumar ,Dev Anand surpassed them all for liveliness or flamboyance, with his performances radiating g energy on the screen, in realms rarely transcended. In his own right, Dev Saab, was a craftsman, like his classical contemporaries, with a characteristic composure. Perhaps never was a Bollywood star so suave, bubbling or charming as Dev Anand, who often looked like an Indian versi

Abrogation of Art 370: Increasing alienation, relentless repression, simmering conflict

One year after the abrogation by the Central Government of Art. 370 in Kashmir, what is the situation in the Valley. Have the promises of peace, normalcy and development been realised? What is the current status in the Valley? Here is a detailed note by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties , “Jammu & Kashmir: One Year after Abrogation of Art. 370: Increasing Alienation, Relentless Repression, Simmering Conflict”:

Agro-biodiversity through seed identification, conservation, replication, crop selection

By Kuntal Mukherjee, Basant Yadav, Shivnath Yadav* This article is mainly based on a journey of the three of us since 2010 based on field experience, study of different articles, reflective journeys with local community based organisations, villagers and practitioners in Chhattisgarh. The slow growth of Agriculture in India with near stagnation in productivity since mid ‘80s in contrast to the remarkable growth during the green revolution period has come to the front as a great concern. In post WTO era Indian Agriculture has been witnessing structural changes, uncontrolled influx of agriculture goods and commodities from foreign countries due to open market nature. The gradual reduction in subsidies from internal production leads to increasing cost of production of agriculture produces at the farm gate. It causes gradual decrease in internal production as well as productivity and posing threats to small farm and stakeholders. 

Indian youth can choose political career which offers tremendous opportunities

By Sudhansu R Das  The Indian political sector is growing faster than any other sector in the world. This sector has been fully liberalised. Political career in India is open to any age group starting from 25 plus to 90 plus; people with any educational background, even an illiterate person can contest election in India. An old man or woman with multiple organ failure can become leader of a political party; they can control party workers from the hospital bed also. Social status, physical and mental ability seldom stand in the way of a political leader. Advanced age is not an issue which can be reversed with effortless ease. 

Commodification of road accident deaths: The hidden health hazard of motonormativity

By Chandra Vikash*  Jahnavi Kandula, an Indian student from Andhra Pradesh, studying in America was killed in a road accident by a police motor car in January 2023. Now, 8 months after the accident, a bodycam video of Daniel Orderer, who is the vice president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild, has gone viral on social media. He was laughing at her death and saying that “she was 26 years old, anyway… she had limited value… just give her $11,000 (ie Rs 9.13 lakh)”.