Committee on War, Imperialism and Resistance: West Asia
Press
Statement
International Conference on War, Imperialism and Resistance: West Asia 12th-14th March 2007, Delhi
West Asia is currently becoming the global flashpoint, with US imperialism seeking to remould the region to its liking. Israel, its closest ally in the region, is also seeking to destroy the Palestinian nation, as well as stamp out all resistance to its own apartheid policies. The catchall slogan of "War against Terror," post
9/11, is a cover for the aggressive designs of the US-Israeli axis, shown by the occupation of Iraq and Israel's unremitting military siege against the Palestinians. Military strikes against Iran now loom on the horizon and the UN Security Council itself is being manipulated for that purpose. It is the resistance of the people in Iraq, West Bank and Gaza, as well as the heroic resistance by the Lebanese national forces against Israeli invasion, that today stand in the way of US and Israeli designs in the region. Unfortunately, the Government of India has not only failed to support the cause of the people in West Asia but has connived with US policies in the region, as shown by the vote in IAEA on Iran. Its continued military relationship with Israel in which India has become the largest importer of arms from Israel sits ill with its protestations of support for the Palestinian cause. India must oppose the continued occupation of Iraq and the Palestinian territories, as well as military threats and destabilisation campaigns against Iran and Syria. The UPA government must abide by the promise in the Common Minimum Programme that it shall pursue an independent foreign policy. It should also keep in view the fact that equitable peace in West Asia is also in the interest of the Indian people and escalation of war there shall greatly endanger the energy security of South Asia. Almost 80% of India's oil imports are from West Asia and a disruption of supplies would hit Indian economy very hard. To highlight the above issues and generate a wider solidarity for the people under occupation and military threat in the region, we are proposing a 3-day conference in Delhi on 12th-14th March 2007. The Conference will seek to bring together a wide cross-section of people and groups that have been involved in the struggle against imperialism. It will also bring on the platform leading thinkers and activists – from Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq and South Asia. The Conference will develop a program of support and solidarity to oppose the US occupation of Iraq and possible military attacks on Iran, the apartheid state of Israel and other attempts of the US and its allies to isolate popular forces such as Hezbollah and Hamas. The Conference would also work towards building the widest unity against imperialist forces in West Asia d also put pressure on the Governments in South Asia including India to oppose imperialist designs in the region.
Achin Vanaik
Aijaz Ahmad
Ambrose Pinto
Anil Shastri
Anu Chenoy
Ashim Roy
Aziz Pasha
DP Tripathi
Feroz Mithiborwala
George Mathew
Girijesh Pant
Inder Malhotra
Jimmy Dhabi
Kamal Chenoy
Kamal Morarka
Kamla Bhasin
Kuldip Nayyar
M K Bhadrakumar
Mazhar Hussain
Meena Menon
Mehmood Madani
Mohd Salim
Mushirul Hasan
N Ram
Nihal Singh
Pallab Sengupta
Prabir Purkayastha
Praful Bidwai
Ram Vilas Paswan
Ritu Menon
S P Shukla
Seema Mustafa
Sehba Farooqi
Shahid Siddiqi
Shashwati Majumdar
Vishnu Bhagwat
Zafarul-Islam Khan
Zoya Hasan
Committee on War, Imperialism and Resistance: West Asia
Address: D-158, LGF Saket New Delhi 110017
Phone: +91-1126524323, Telefax: +91-1126862716
<ferozearachne@gmail.com>
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