The Hindu : National : Join protests against visit, people urged

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 15, 2006

National

National

Join protests against visit, people urged

Special Correspondent

``Attempt at re-colonisation not acceptable'' "The U.S. is now eyeing Iran, another oil-rich country with a proud anti-imperialist tradition, as the next target for aggression"

NEW DELHI: With the visit of U.S. President George W. Bush just a fortnight away, efforts are on to mobilise protests against the tour. Academics, artistes and activists on Monday urged all sections to join the protests, saying the people were "irreconcilably opposed" to his "project of re-colonisation."

An appeal, through a statement issued under the banner of the Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust (Sahmat), said: "Mr. Bush must not be allowed to get away with his project of re-colonisation. He must be told that the people of India are irreconcilably opposed to this project."

`Sinister process'

After Iraq, the U.S. "is now eyeing Iran, another oil-rich country with a proud anti-imperialist tradition, as the next target for aggression and is about to start the first stage in that sinister process — the imposition of sanctions."

The statement detailed the U.S. policies to pursue its goal of re-colonisation.

Chief among them are: capturing raw material sources, particularly oil and gas; overthrowing third world governments committed to anti-imperialist nationalism; and opening up economies the world over to the depredations of globalised finance and unhindered exploitation by multinational corporations.

"Imposing its diktat over independent countries under the pretext of promoting human rights, democracy and counter-terrorism, the U.S. constitutes today the gravest threat to peace and freedom in the world. It has provided the staunchest support to the oppression of the Palestinian people by the Zionist State. In its keenness to control the rich oil resources of Iraq, it has devastated that hapless country, first through sanctions, then through a blatant and totally indefensible war of aggression and now through the promotion of internal strife that could well lead to its trifurcation," the statement said.

The signatories to the statement include Mahashweta Devi, Kamleshwar and Githa Hariharan (all authors), film-makers Mahesh Bhatt and Saeed Mirza, actor Nandita Das, academics Shireen Ratnagar, Badri Raina and Zoya Hasan, and activist Teesta Setelvad.

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