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Stop US plans to attack Iraq: resist imperialism

[The following is a leaflet which was distributed by the Anti-Imperialist Front prior to and during an anti-war demonstration on February 6, 2003. Translated by James Balowski.]

Although the United Nations inspection team has yet to find any evidence that Iraq is currently developing biological weapons, a US attack on Iraq is only a matter of time. When will it happen? The US, through the “War Against Terrorism” has laid claim to being the one which is has the ultimate right to determine the life or death of a government, along with dividing the world into black and white. Whoever does not submit faces the political and military machine of the US and it the its political and economic power (through the IMF, the World Bank and the World Trade Organisation). US foreign policy which is determined to attack Iraq with all of its justifications, is in fact a form of imperialism. US hegemony through the financial institutions of the IMF, World Bank, the WTO and the Consultative Group on Indonesia (ICG) which has ripped apart the economic order of the developing world is imperialism in another form. These two forms of imperialism violate state sovereignty, and debase world peace.

The desire for certainly in the supply of oil imports for domestic industries and the control of the Iraqi oil industry is the primary reason why the US continues to push for an attack on Iraq.

We must reject the US plan to attack Iraq. Afghanistan has been hammered to a pulp, Iraq has been bombed, Iran, North Korea, and who else will become the next victims? US political terror which colonizes the Third World must be stopped these countries are destroyed. What about the economic machine of the US (read the IMF, the World Bank, the WTO and the IGC) who also colonize the developing world in the guise of providing aid? What about the regimes that mimic this machine. They must be brought down!

The attitude of Indonesia under the regime of President Megawati Sukarnoputri and Hamzah Haz with regard to this issue is unclear. On the racist policies of the US towards Indonesian citizens, Mega-Hamzah have not taken a clear stand and have no bargaining power at all. With regard to US plans to attack Iraq, the regime takes a passive attitude. With regard to the IMF, World Bank, WTO, CGI and so on, the regime only submits and obeys. How then can we awaken and raise our fists in struggle against all these forms of imperialism?

Since the fall of the New Order regime of former President Suharto, there have been three changes in the presidency, all of them have tended to be loyal to US interests rather than to the interests of the people. The Anti-Terrorist legislation is one indicator of the weak bargaining position of the regime against US political pressure. It is a regime which prefers to abolish subsidies for the people (read increasing the prices conglomerates which is a form of a “bleating goat regime”. As a consequence, it of fuel, electricity and phone charges) and subsidize the is the people who are sacrificed. The evidence, the abolition of subsidies has resulted increases to the price of living and health, a rationalisation of industry resulting in an increase in production costs and in the end sackings. The people no longer have any buying power. Privatisation which is being implemented by Mega-Hamzah is another form of selling off the state to foreign governments, pawning off the state to foreigners and a state which no longer has any sovereignty.

Let us therefore stop the march of imperialism by holding a joint action. Join together in an action which will be held at:

Time: 11 am, Thursday, February 6
Route: Hotel Indonesia – British Embassy - United Nations - US Embassy – presidential palace.

1. Reject the US military attack on Iraq!
2. Reject the IMF, World Bank, WTO and CGI and its lackeys
3. Reject privatisation and the abolition of subsidies to the people
4. Reject racist US policies toward Indonesian citizens.

Note: Invite your friends to join us in similar actions on February 15, 2003, at the same time and location to coincide with demonstrations which will be held throughout the world.

Anti-Imperialist Front:
Jl. Tebet Timur Dalam VIII No 6A
Phone: 021 830 7235

APM, FKMB, FNPBI, HMI-MPO, INCREASE, KAMLAKSI, KAMTEK, KPM, LMND, PRD, PPR, SPR, REFO, SEKAR, YPKP, LS-ADI, HUMANIKA, KAU, LBHR, SPR, GPK, WALHI