JB on Thu 25, June 2009 @ 16:42

JB — 2009-06-25 16:42:05

This Saturday the Stop the War Steering Committee will be asked to vote on the draft statement by STW officers of 20 June (see http://stopwar.org.uk/content/view/1310/27/) Let's hope it is amended to remove statements such as "the Stop the War Coalition believes that resolving the crisis is the right and responsibility of the Iranian people alone, and that external interference can play no positive role", a phrase that could be taken to apply not only to the imperialist machinations but also to the solidarity efforts of HOPI and others. Furthermore, having said "we. . .support the right to demonstrate peacefully, just as we support the Iranian people’s right to political, trade union and other civil freedoms and to struggle to achieve them", why not condemn Ahmadinejad and the clerical dictatorship which is hellbent on preventing those rights? Why not openly say what everyone knows, that Ahmadinejad uses the imperialist threat as his most powerful weapon in violently suppressing trade unionists, socialists, and women seeking liberation?

Instead we get this: "The British and US governments wish to see regime change in Iran in order to dominate the Middle East and its resources and leave Israel as the region’s unchallenged military superpower" Yes, but right now it is not the UK or the US which is killing protesters, and without qualification such a statement could be happily seized upon by the reactionaries to demobilise protest.

The draft statement reveals that even though Respect is dead, the priorities of Galloway in seeking to mollify right wing muslim opinion still lives on in STW.

Chris S on Thu 25, June 2009 @ 20:59

Chris S — 2009-06-25 20:59:16

It has been re-posted to the HOPI news blog.

http://hopinewsfromiran.wordpress.com/2009/06/25/iran-first-round-to-ahmadinejad/

Chris S on Sun 28, June 2009 @ 18:18

Chris S — 2009-06-28 18:18:12

Quick report, videos and an appeal to support political prisoners on the HOPI Blog. Please re-post and and share widely. -

http://hopinewsfromiran.wordpress.com/2009/06/28/protests-continue-in-iran-free-all-political-prisoners

Permanent Revolution

JB on Thu 25, June 2009 @ 16:42

Chris S on Thu 25, June 2009 @ 20:59

Chris S on Sun 28, June 2009 @ 18:18