INFORMATION BULLETIN
Edited by The Committee for International Affairs
Information Bulletin
Communist Party of Sudan
Thu,
09 Dec 1999
After
10 years of rule of the National Islamic Front (NIF) and its military wing
within the Sudanese Army, the
elderly politicians of the ruling party, including the ideologue of the
regime, dr. Hassan al-Turabi have reached the conclusion that the
Sudanese Islamic movement
represented by the NIF and its allies has failed markedly to realize its
"Islamic Civilization
Project" and to become a model for the Islamic world and also evidently
failed to implement its salvation mission to reform the moral, political
, economic life in Sudan and to
resolve the civil war and thereby cement national unity as promised in the
first statement of the Salvation Military Council of the coup in June,
1989.
Therefore
they were forced to retreat while
they are maneuvering hard to preserve the maximum
possible of their political power , credibility and wealth. They
opted last year for a quasi-democracy, and engineered an Islamic
constitution that listed fundamental freedoms,
which are conditioned and restricted by the relevant laws i.e. freedom of
association restricted by the
Political Parties Act and the Trade Union Act, which ex-communicated
the political parties and the trade unions incorporated under the
umbrella of the National Democratic
Alliance (NDA); and freedom of the press restricted by the Press and
Publication Act. Nevertheless, these limited freedoms opened the door for
the opposition to activate inside
the country and for the press to criticize the wide-spread corruption i.e.
in public tenders , in state sector privatization projects, in imports of
spoiled foods and drugs , the
financial and administrative corruption of senior officials in central and
states' governments, in state
authorities intimidation of traditional businessmen in favour of NIF
parasitic capital and also to expose
the government policies that led to the collapse of
education and health services and the unprecedented spread of redundancy
and unemployment. The press also
covered the news of the protest actions of workers,
teachers, tenants and students inside the country and the activities of
the opposition especially the NDA
abroad. The "Islamist demagoguery and taboos of the regime were
disclosed and people are openly making fun of them. The fanatics and
hawks of the regime are provoked as
well as scared by this political turmoil that engulfed the Sudan at
present. They ranked behind General Omar al-Bashir in his power rivalry
with Dr. Hassan al-Turabi and
pushed him to advocate their rhetoric and become their official
voice... To avoid
unconditional defeat, the regime is attempting a counter attack to contain
internal political developments from exploding into a popular uprising
and is embarking on an offensive to
isolate the NDA , divide its unity and weaken its forces and is aspiring
to gain new grounds both
internally , regionally and internationally and thus to strengthen
its grip over the Sudan and to have strong cards in any coming
negotiation with the SPLA and the
NDA.. Within this context, one can
understand the motive behind Turabi's meeting with
Sayed al-Sadiq al-Mahdi,
former prime minister, president of the Umma party and one of the
prominent leaders of the opposition in May, 1999 in Geneva. This activity
has stirred regional and
international attention to focus on the political situation in Sudan and the
possible peaceful and global solution to its problems. A number of
foreign players are entering
actively the political game in the Sudan. Each is motivated by its own interest.
Since
last year the government of the Sudan has been campaigning
throughout the western
countries to demonstrate that political reform is afoot and a new era of
democracy has begun. It is also propagating that the government has been
adopting neo-liberal market economy
and implementing since 1993 the IMF
prescriptions to the letter. Last
June the IMF confirmed this fact and praised the Sudanese government. The
regime, is cynically exploiting the post-cold war feverish economic
competition between the USA and the European Community, and is playing
successfully the card of the oil exploration
and the privatization projects, as well as the tug of war between USA and
France in Africa, to release its
self from the international isolation which embraced the regime since its crack
on the professional community in the Sudan after the doctors' strike in
November, 1989. Now countries like France, Germany, Britain, Norway, the
Netherlands and Italy are
hurrying up to normalize their relations with the Sudanese government,
leaving behind all their moral rhetoric about human rights, democracy and
international terrorism. Their main
interest is evidently the restoration of neo-liberal economy.There
are reports that the regime is also courting the US administration and
offering a strategic alliance so
that Sudan can be the springboard for US strategic plans to control the
present and future sources of oil and mineral production in Africa and
the Red Sea.
The anti-American mutterings of the regime is addressed to Africa, the Arab
world and for local consumption.
Regionally the Sudanese regime is trying to exploit the consequences of the
armed conflict between Ethiopia and
Eritrea, and between Uganda and Democratic Congo in
an attempt to isolate the NDA and the SPLA, and deny them the support of
the neighbouring countries . The
Sudanese government is even asking them to extradite
the opposition leaders in
exile, but in vain. In the Arab world, the regime in Sudan is playing
a dangerous game and harming Sudan's national interests by projecting the
problems of the country as an
ethnic and religious conflict and rivalry between
Arab and African stocks and
between Islam and Christianity to gain the support of Moslems and Arab
nationalists. Unfortunately this game is facilitated and heated by the
western media, Christian fundamentalist institutions, and the quarters of
Islamic fundamentalism. Within this
background, we have now two initiatives: the IGAD addressing the civil war and
conflict between the south and the north and the Libyan Initiative addressing
the civil war and the conflict
between the north and the north. We believe that the problems of the Sudan
have to be solved globally and once and for
all. The core of Sudan conflict is triggered and sustained by political,
civil, economi, social,
cultural and regional injustices as
well as denial of equality based on citizenship
and the concentration of political power and wealth in the hands of the
elite of central Sudan. We have to
learn from the South Africa's experiences in building national unity and
national consensus and the smooth transition
to multi-racial , multi-cultural and
multi-religious democracy and civil society as well as adopting the
mechanism of negotiation reached by
the Sudanese political forces and that is the Constitutional
Conference to dismantle the present totalitarian regime and to get rid of
all forms of injustice and
inequality in our political systems since independence. All genuine selfless
foreign initiatives have to co-ordinate their efforts so as Sudanese
political forces can reach this
goal. We hope that the reader will
acquaint himself or herself with the information in this issue of our bulletin,
and hopefully will come to the conclusion that the present regime in
Sudan is not transformable and the appropriate solution is to is to
dismantle it altogether...
On
30, June, 1989, the day of the military take-over. There were 386 civil law
judges registered in the roll. These are graduates of recognized faculties of
law, who passed professional legal examinations and completed the prescribed
training courses. The judiciary was consistently purged and by mid 1991, no more
than 65 civil judges remained in the judiciary from the total of 386. The
judiciary was stuffed with supporters of the National Islamic Front the ruling
party. These were chosen from graduates of the Islamic university and the
indoctrinated fans of the regime and few careerists from the old guard. The
regime also relied greatly upon military and public order courts. In such a
regime can a citizen enjoy the right to a free trial and administration of
justice?. The courts were never concerned with torture and confession under
duress Scores of political prisoners are in jail because of the above mentioned
reasons. Others are waiting for long periods in agony in custody. Let us quote a
report by Amnesty International dated 22, February, 1999. "The unfair
military trial in Khartoum of 26 men, including two Roman Catholic priests, on
charges relating to alleged involvement with explosions in Khartoum in June 1998
remains suspended, apparently indefinitely."
The
accused were tortured in advance of giving statements or making confessions.
Sudan
Penal Code, provides for cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment like flogging,
amputation and crucifixion. In April, 1999, nine men have been sentenced to
cross amputation i.e. the right hand and the left foot, and death by hanging,
followed by crucifixion, for bank robbery.
Atrocities
in war zones
A
quick glimpse in southern and eastern Sudan, and Nuba Mountains reveals a world
of famine, religious persecution, pillage, looting, abduction, rape torture and
murder, massacre and expulsion of civilian population in and around the oil
fields, intentional bombardment of hospitals and dropping cluster bombs on
civilian settlements.
It
has been reported that on Thursday 16, 1999, during the ceremonial graduation of
a special detachment of the NIF fanatic militia in one of the militia camps in
Markhiyat hills north-west of Omdurman, President Omar al-Bashir in his speech
to the fanatic and maniac audience said that he was advised by a group of
brothers who supported and shared power with him, but succumbed to political
pressure that the regime has to provide for a constitution, elections, freedom
of the press and independent judiciary. We agreed hoping that they can lead us
to safety, he added.. Now you can see what is happening. As a result of that. He
then called upon the commander of the military police and ordered him to silence
al- Rai al-Akher daily newspaper from today and for ever. He continued
addressing the major general that from today
we do not recognize any law, any constitution, any freedom, any democracy
or any nonsense of that kind.. Anybody who misbehaves, it is your option; you
can bring him here or send him to heaven; or do what you like with him;
slaughter or skin him off.
On
November 2, 1999, the Sudanese Victims of Torture Group (SVTG) issued a press
release confirming that a group of armed men raided the house of Professor
Farouq Kadoda, lecturer at the Ahlia University in Omdurman, one of the leaders
of the National Democratic Alliance in Khartoum and the spokesman of the
Sudanese Communist party. Professor Kadoda has twice been arrested since July,
1989. Kadoda’s youngest daughter Sandra, 17 years old, was beaten by the armed
squad until she got unconscious. The armed squad left a message for Prof. Kadoda
that this is the last warning. A National Daily in Khartoum, al-Sahafa reported
that Prof. Kadoda has been
continuously
receiving threatening anonymous letters and telephone calls.
1.
Silencing the media
It
is worth mentioning that democratic Sudan had enjoyed a high standard of press
freedom. The radio and television services were independent, being financed by
the public budget, and catered for all shades of opinions and political views
including those of the National Islamic Front. The country also allowed
unrestricted circulation and import of foreign newspapers, journals and books.
Following
the June 1989 coup, all printed material is either censored or banned. The radio
and television services, as well as the press were monopolized by the
fundamentalist architects of the coup and all expressed views have to conform to
the ideology of the National Islamic Front.
Till
January 1994 only official newspapers financed by the government were allowed.
Then A new press law came into force and the private capital of pro-government
businessmen were invited to publish newspapers, yet not a single newspaper has
been tolerated to publish freely. On February 24, 1994, security officers raided
the Khartoum offices of the Sudanese daily newspaper Al-Sudani Al-Dowlia, edited
and owned by Mahjoub Erwa, a veteran of the Islamic movement, and a member of
the Transitional National Assembly, that had begun publication in January,
1994.In April, 1994, the Al-Sudani Al-Dowlia was under attack again. The editor
and a number of journalists were detained and the newspaper was closed following
the publication of articles that argued for a return to multi-party politics and
criticized government corruption. Acting under the 1989 emergency legislation,
and not under the 1993 press law, the government suspended the publication of
the newspaper for good, confiscated the house and car of the editor, and accused
him of cooperating with foreign governments!
Under
internal and international pressure the press act was amended. Despite an
alleged relaxation of restrictions in 1997, the period from April, 1997 to the
end of 1998 had witnessed the frequent practice of administrative close down of
the press, reaching 20 cases and involving all political newspapers except 3 and
all sport newspapers except one. This is a Sudanese record which exceeded the
number of all such practices in 58 years of colonial rule.
In
spite of the promulgation of the constitution in June 1998 and the proclamation
of the Sudanese authorities that they have abandoned dictatorship and their rule
by presidential decrees, the same practices continued in 1999 to involve
independent newspapers. In September 1999, the most popular daily newspaper, al-Rai
al-Akhar was closed down indefinitely by a presidential decree, and on September
28, 1999 the Sudanese security authorities simply ordered , al-Rai al-Aam daily
newspaper not to appear the next day without explaining the reason for the
one-day suspension. President Omar al-Bashir slammed in the same day the press,
describing it as a Fifth Column and threatening to take unspecified measures
against it. The customary practice of the regime clearly showed that the press
act has been legislated not to regulate the exercise of freedom of the press but
rather to confiscate and rob what the constitution has granted.
2.
Harassment of independent journalists and writers Journalists and writers have
been subjected to harassment and arbitrary detention. In April 1999, Mohamed
abdel Seed, correspondent for the London-based Arabic daily newspaper al-Sharq
al-Awsat, and other two journalists were arrested and the former was tortured by
the security forces in Khartoum and were later released without charge or trial
after detention ranging from 12 to 42 days. In early May 1999, Idris Hassan,
Chief Editor, and el- Bedawi Yousif, Director both of the al-Rai al-Aam
independent daily newspaper were arrested along with Mustafa Abdel Gadir, a
prominent lawyer and opposition leader for his article which highlighted the
restrictions of the freedom of expression, and the injustices of the Penal Code,
the Security Act and the Press and Publication Act.. In June, 1999, the chief
editors of three daily newspapers: al-Rai al-Akher, al-Sharei as-Siyasi and al-Usbu
faced charges of publishing news on the activities of the opposition,
represented
by the National Democratic Alliance. The three chief editors had argued, during
the interrogations, that they were acting within the framework of the
"available freedom of expression".
On
August 28 , 1999, the Sudanese security forces summoned Kamal Hassan Bakhit,
Chief Editor of al-Sahafa daily newspaper to the security offices for
interrogation accusing him of collaborating with the opposition and recruiting
left-wing journalists to write for his paper. He was threatened that if he did
not change this policy, he shall be arrested and his paper closed down. On
September 6, 7, and 11, 1999, the security forces summoned Adil Sid Ahmed
Khalifa editor of al-Bayan newspaper and interrogated him for 7 hours each time
and later charged of propagating false news to discredit the
"prestige" of the government, under article 66 of the Penal Code.
3.
Violation of the right to peaceful protest
A
Sudanese riot-court, in September this year, jailed seven people, who were part
of protest demonstration in Dongola town in northern Sudan. The mass
demonstration was organized against the government lack of preventive measures
to cope with the floods that devastated the region, leaving 50000 citizens
homeless.
Twelve
students were wounded when the security forces opened fire into a crowd of
several thousands demonstrators in Khartoum last September. Thousands of
university students held anti-government marches calling for the restoration of
democracy. The security forces violently attacked the students using live
ammunition, clubs and tear gas. 50 students were arrested.
One
of the leaders of the organization of democratic lawyers called Alliance for the
Restoration of Democracy was sentenced to 15 days of prison and fined half a
million Sudanese pounds for his action in support of the struggle of the
Sudanese lawyers for freedom of expression and freedom of association.
A
number of the democratically elected leaders of the banned Sudanese Workers
Trade Unions Federation were summoned by the Sudanese security, in early
September, 1999 and interrogated for their march to the presidential palace to
present a memorandum asking for the restoration of trade union rights and
freedom
81
workers trade unions’ officers, democratically elected before 30 June, 1989
military coup, signed a memorandum on September 6, 1999 addressed to the
president of the present regime in Sudan with copy to the International Labour
Office, Arab Labour Office, World Federation of Trade Unions and International
Confederation of Free Trade Unions.
The
memo expressed the disappointment of the Sudanese trade union movement towards
the attitude of the military regime which adopted anti-labour policy from its
first day in power. The military coup dissolved all trade unions and
federations, sequestrated their property and had freeze trade union activities
until the proclamation of the Trade Union Ordinance 1992. It launched a campaign
against the elected trade union leaders and activists purging them from work and
forcing them to retirement under the pretext of "national interest"
and thus depriving the rank and file of the unions from their representatives.
A
trade union conference was held by the government in August, 1990 to discuss the
prospects of the trade union movement in Sudan. and accordingly to legalize
trade unions. This conference took place in the absence of the democratic trade
union movement when most of elected officers were either in detention or purged
from work.. Its resolution that the trade unions of workers, employees,
technicians, professionals and teachers to be merged into unitary unions and one
federation did not
enjoy
the consent of neither the rank and file nor the trade union activists.
Therefore the Trade Union Ordinance 1992 is just an expression of the will of
the then political elite in contravention to the industrial and public
employment rules, and traditional union pluralism in Sudan.
Under
this ordinance a heretical practice of unopposed lists of candidates is
introduced in trade union elections that fiddled away the principle of free and
democratic competition and choice and disseminated state intimidation and
bullying of trade union membership to agree by keeping
silent.
We
are encourage by our patriotic, professional and trade unionist commitments to
demand the following:-
The
creation of a healthy and suitable social climate by providing the freedom of
association, freedom of expression, right of collective solidarity, the right to
work, abrogation of laws restricting liberties and freedoms an providing working
people the right to organize according to their own choosing without
intervention of executive authorities.
Reinstatement
of all those who are either arbitrarily dismissed or forced to early retirement
for trade union or political reasons under the pretext of "national
interests".
Abrogation
of the Trade Union Ordinance 1992 and its regulations and dissolve the present
fabricated unions based on that Ordinance.
The
formulation of a new democratic Trade Union Ordinance with the participation of
the genuine representatives of the trade union movement who have been
democratically elected before the military coup.
Then
providing for a free and democratic trade union elections in a climate of fair
competition.
We
are presenting this memo at this critical turning point of the history of our
country
The
resolution adopted by the American Congress asking the Clinton administration to
use military force to prohibit air flights over the Nuba mountains and southern
Sudan is a frank breach of sovereignty and is not in compliance with
international law or the UN Charter. The Communist Party of Sudan denounces such
intervention. The Sudanese people know very well that the National Islamic Front
government in Khartoum which is hysterically screaming and scared to death from
the American resolution, is the cause for all the problems of Sudan. It is
discrediting the image of our country in international quarters by its flagrant
intervention in internal affairs of other countries especially our neighbours,
training terrorists and exporting them to destabilise African and Arab
countries, The NIF security forces
planned for the assassination of president Husni Mubarek. The NIF
government bombarded and is still bombarding mercilessly villages, towns,
hospitals and camps of displaced civilians in the Nuba mountains, the south, the
Ingessena area and eastern Sudan using rockets, cluster bombs, napalm and
chemical gas. This same government killed tens of thousands by torture, hanging,
extra-judicial executions unrestrained by international law, agreements and
conventions to which nowadays the scared government is referring. Our people
proved to be capable of toppling such dictatorial regimes without the assistance
of foreign military intervention. The Communist Party of Sudan appreciates the
political and diplomatic solidarity of the international community to tighten
their grip to isolate this fascist regime
The
3rd Conference of the Communist
Party of Sudan branches abroad
*
On the 7th & 8th of August, 1999, the 3rd Conference of the branches of the
Communist Party of Sudan abroad was
held in London, UK.
*
The Conference discussed the political, organizational, intellectual and
financial activities of the branches of the party abroad. It discussed reports
on our political work in the National Democratic Alliance, in international
relations, in communication and co-ordination.
It also dealt with the issues of the General Debate dealing with the
renewal of the party's program, statute, method of work, etc.
*
In the final session, the Conference passed several resolutions and
recommendations and issued a final communiqué which reflected the main features
of the meetings and appreciated the heroic struggle of the Sudanese people and
the militant activities of the NDA inside and outside the Sudan to topple the
totalitarian regime and restore freedom, democracy and peace.
International
Solidarity and
Party News
During
1999, a number of our party representatives participated in congresses, seminars
and the annual festivals of the press of some European communist parties. These
include the following:
L'Humanite
Festival. 10 - 12 September, 1999.
During
his stay in France, attending the festival, the representative of our party
participated with comrades of the local and neighbouring branches of the
Communist Party of Sudan and other Sudanese friends in promoting al-Maidan stall
in the festival after a long period of absence, thanks to the solidarity of the
administration of the festival. Our stall was visited by Arab television ANN and
delegations of a number of African and Arab political parties who
expressed their solidarity with the struggle of our people against the present
regime in Sudan. The delegation of our party also visited several stalls. It
also attended bilateral and multilateral meetings with the representatives of
African and Arab political movements , with the national secretary of the
Italian Communist Party re-foundation and with representatives of the French
Communist Party, the French Green Party and the French Socialist Party. Talks
were held with the leaders of A.F.A.S.P.A., the French committee for solidarity
with Africa and with journalists who are interested in and concerned with Sudan.
The talks centered on clarification of the present nebulous political
situation in Sudan at this critical stage of the development of political
opposition and hazy position of the European friends of the IGAD initiative as
well as enhancing bilateral co-operation The talks are supported by providing
them with relevant documents of our party and the National Democratic Alliance.
A
member of our party committee for international relations attended the UZ
Festival, the newspaper of the Communist Party of Germany (CPG) at
Dortmund.
Meetings
were held with the general secretary of CPG and editor-in-chief of UZ. During
the meetings exchange of information took place on the struggle of the two
parties and avenues of co-operation were explored. At the same time our delegate
held wide-range meetings with representatives of fraternal parties attending the
festival. In Berlin our party
representative met with the comrades in the Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS)
and received detailed information on the activities of the PDS. On his part our
delegate gave information on the current situation in Sudan.
At
the same time he met with representative of the German Solidarity Service-
International where he briefed on
the actual situation with special stress on the violations of human rights and a
promise was made to intensify solidarity and
mark abuse of human rights.
The
Communist Party of Sudan was represented at the Avante Festival, the organ of
the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP), by a delegation of two including the
editor-in-chief of al-Maidan. The delegation held an important meeting with the
general secretary of the PCP where exchange of information and documents , took
place, and the situation in Sudan was discussed and clarified. At the same time
issues related to the
communist and left movement were discussed.
Informative
Letter was sent by the International
Committee Abroad to the PDS , peace
and international Solidarity Policy
-Working Group , informing on the gross violation
of human rights in Sudan as well as
a documented evidence on torture of the prominent trade unionist
leader Comrade Ali Almahi Alsakhi who died on November 6, 1999 in London.
His death was as consequences of torture suffered from both physical and
psychological problems. In 1995
Comrade Alsakhi
was sent to Egypt by SVTG for medical treatment, but immediately upon his
return to Sudan he was re-arrested by the Security Forces. Comrade Alsakhi was
deprived of his medicine in prison
and his physical condition deteriorated.
The
document included also the torture of the MD Sid Ahmed Alkhateeb and the
terrorist attacks against Comrade Faroug
Kadouda the Sudanese Communist
spokesperson inside Sudan.
Copy
of the information was sent to the German Solidarity
Service- International.
During
his stay in Spain attending the Festival, the representative of the Communist
Party of Sudan met with representative of the committee of international
relations of the Spanish Communist Party, where he presented detailed
information and supported by documents, on the current situation in the Sudan.
Issues related to the position of the countries of the European Union and
especially during the last annual meeting of the UN Committee on Human Rights
were raised. The Spanish Comrades exercised their solidarity with the struggle
of our people.
In
addition our delegate met with the representative of the committee for
international relations of the Catalonian Communist Party. Exchange of opinions
and documents took place.
During
the period 18-21 March, 1999, the congress of the Italian Communist Party
Re-foundation took place. Over 100 foreign delegations observed the
deliberations of the congress. Amongst them was the representative of our party.
Our
participation was well-received. Solidarity with the struggle of the Sudanese
people was expressed. An agreement for future bilateral co-operation between the
two parties was reached A Call for
strengthening solidarity with national and democratic forces.
Our
participation with other world-wide patriotic and left-wing political movements
in the above mentioned events is an expression of our solidarity with these
parties and is an opportunity for exchange of ideas and better mutual
understanding.
Important
in this respect for us is our call to the European political parties and
solidarity organisations and friendly media to raise
positively the Sudanese issue to the European public, in the European
parliaments and lobby European governments to correct their mistaken notion that
the issue is merely the civil war between the south and the north due to ethnic
or religious polarization. It is in essence a global issue of the whole of Sudan
since its independence and the failure in nation state building and creation of
a genuine democratic multi-ethnic, multi-religious, multi-cultural and pluralist
civil society where political power and wealth are shared by the different
regions, ethnic groups and democratic representatives of the modern sector of
society (unions of blue and white collar workers, farmers, associations of
professionals, industrialists and other businessmen, the institutions of the
regular armed forces and political parties of modern forces) and the democratic
representatives of the traditional sector of society (political parties of the
traditional forces). We hope that the European friends of the IGAD Initiative
will look at the Sudan Question from this angle and accordingly contribute to
its resolution., putting in mind the fanatic, extremist and fascist-like nature
of the present regime in Sudan
During
May, 1999 an International Seminar on "Globalization" was held by the
Communist Party of Greece in Athens. The Committee for International Relations
of the Communist Party of Sudan sent a letter of apology for not attending in
person and as well greeting the participants and wishing them every success in
their deliberations. At the same time a scientific paper was sent to the seminar
as a contribution from our party. The paper is published in this issue,
we hope to contribute in
strengthening international solidarity.
The
Iraqi Communist Party (ICP) reported that the dictatorial regime in Iraq is
continuing its campaign of terror against Iraqi citizens with vengeful mass
arrests and killings, demolition of houses and rape. ICP sources confirmed that
the Basra's prisons and detention centres hold thousands of young men and women,
elderly and even children. They are subjected to torture by the security forces
as a response to popular opposition throughout
the central and southern areas of the country.
We,
strongly condemn the flagrant violation of human rights in Iraq and call upon
the government of Baghdad to stop immediately these criminal acts against
humanity and to protect its own citizens against abuse of human rights and to
bring perpetrators to justice and to provide fundamental freedoms and democratic
liberties. The Communist Party of Sudan, here expresses its solidarity with the
heroic struggle of the national and democratic forces of Iraq.
The
Communist Party of Sudan(CPS)issued a statement strongly protesting against the
death sentence passed by a Turkish court on Abdullah Ocalan, the Kurdish leader.
The kidnapping of Ocalan organised by the secret services of Turkey, and some
other NATO countries was itself an international crime. This is compounded by
the fanatic atmosphere and procedures of the Turkish administration of justice
by a virtual court martial which denied Ocalan a fair trial. The CPS calls upon
the international community to demand that the death sentence and the entire
criminal proceedings be overruled and cancelled and Ocalan to be immediately
released. and the Turkish authorities to end the repression and violence and
find in co-operation with the representatives of the Kurdish people political
methods to respect the legitimate rights of the national minorities.
In
a declaration issued by the communist and workers parties of the middle east,
the NATO aggression against Yugoslavia was condemned. The declaration which was
signed by a number of parties including the Communist Party of Sudan called for
an immediate halt to the aggression and for a political solution that guarantees
the sovereignty of Yugoslavia and the autonomy
of a democratic multi-ethnic Kossovo within the republic of Yugoslavia.
Africa
and the absurd theatricals
The
African peoples are heading through a zigzag path and are undergoing laborious
efforts. In crystallizing rational movements, organizations, parties and
alliances, which will have a good
grip on the keys of their future and destiny, and can make a breakthrough to
resolve their sufferings:- civil wars, chronic famine, displacement , epidemics
esp. AIDS and malaria, plundering of resources and economic collapse,
brain-drain and youth-drain and the humiliating need for hand out and mercy of
humanitarian agencies etc., etc.
The
dreams of African peoples to enjoy a decent standard of living and a civilized
life in their sovereign states which are committed to democracy, respect of
human rights and the rule of law, revival of national culture and the nostalgia
of the dream of Nkrumah and other pioneers of
African unity are at stake.
When
a careful observer looks at the present scenes of the absurd theatricals in
Africa, he realises the enormous gap between the status quo and Africa’s
dreams. The comrades-in-arms : the Eritrean and Ethiopian liberation movements,
who entered victoriously into Asmara and Addis Ababa are fighting uncompromising
war over the borders with thousand unnecessary casualties and huge material
losses. The decisive alliance that brought them victory is falling apart.
Unprincipled political swings and new military alliances of the enemies of
yesterday are taking place, each with its own separate agenda. For example the
alliance between the forces of Mangestu, the forces of the Ethiopian-Somali
Islamic Union, and the Oromu liberation forces who are fighting for the
independent Islamic state of Oromu. Angola and Uganda are on the opposite sides
of the barricade of the civil war in Congo, while Angola has been training the
officers of the army of Uganda. Kabila is allying with the government of Sudan
which is providing a safe haven for the defeated troops of Mobutu. Not only that
but the deal forced the Kabila government to provide safe haven for the Arab
terrorists returning from Afghanistan and wanted for justice by Arab
governments, as well as to cater for training camps in his country for the
cadres of the African Islamic movements. and to welcome the Islamic humanitarian
agencies which were evicted by the Kenyan authorities after the explosions in
Nairobi and Kampala. A very poor country like Chad is sending military forces to
support the governments of Democratic Congo and Central Africa. But there are
reports that there is a silent role played by Libya in financing the transfer of
the troops of Chad to the Sudan and
Congo and the Sudanese troops to the Congo
These
scenes are the manifestations of the deep crisis of Africa on the one hand and
absurd theatrical attempts to take its destiny in its own hands. Unfortunately
the present state of affairs may give vindication to the advocates of putting
African countries under a sort of an international and regional protectorate
status like in Kossovo. But still there is hope that the alternative African
national democratic project for peace, democracy and development will get a
dynamic support of the African masses with the active participation and
involvement of political parties, trade unions, women, youth
student and professional organizations,
NGOs involved in human rights, protection of the environment, development
and other spheres of the civil society, community grassroots initiatives, and
prominent public personalities under the banner of an independent African
non-governmental platform. We also hope that the initiators for launching this
platform will be the representatives of the civil society in South Africa headed
by Nelson Mandela.
We
have the right to be proud of the giant African leader, Nelson Mandela, one of
the most prominent and greatest symbols of the African and International
liberation movement in this century.
He
served his people, homeland and humanity at large with sincerity,
integrity, courage and self-denial and did not hesitate to endure great
sacrifices in the most difficult situations for the cause of freedom, democracy,
justice and peace, using all form of peaceful and armed struggle so that South
Africa can become a common and shared homeland for all citizens regardless of
race, religion, colour, ethnicity, culture etc.
We
have also the right to consider the 2nd of June every year as the day for the
consolidation of African democratic practice, and the values of African
statesmanship, manifested in the peaceful, voluntary, dignified and democratic
transfer of political power; and the wisdom of Mandela’s
statecraft expressed in his farewell speech when appreciating his
presidency that his term of office was of importance
more because of the limits he imposed than his enjoyment of it .His early
graceful surrender of office offers a lesson to leaders and politicians of the
second and third world. He has the humility to make way to a
younger generation, who are expected to be in a better situation to
shoulder the primary task of development
in the epoch of the scientific, technological and information revolution. We
grasp this opportunity to welcome the inauguration of Thabo Mbeki and
congratulate him for his election as the 2nd president of a democratic South
Africa. Mbeki is well qualified to carry on what has been started by Mendela to
achieve social liberation. He projected himself as a modern and
dynamic leader who raised the slogan of the "stability of the
African democracy" and we wish
him every success.
But
if Mandela has shed the official powers of the highest office in the state,
his moral authority remains undiminished. Behind the scenes, and in his
modest way, South Africa, Africa and the world at large expect more of his
wisdom and contribution. His fascinating conduct and example opens the "era
of renaissance of the African democracy".
The
debt burden of developing countries stood in 1996 at more than $2 trillion a
32-fold increase in relation to 1970, despite the various rescheduling,
restructuring and debt conversion schemes. This state of affairs reflects the
unprecedented magnitude of the polarization of poverty at a global scale.
A
broad NGOs international movement in west Europe, USA and Canada has been
lobbying the rich countries and international financial institutions to relieve
and cancel the debt of the poor countries especially the least developing
states. This movement is mainly addressing the G7 as it did in Birmingham in
England last year and in Cologne in Germany this year.
We
strongly support this movement and we call upon
all organizations and activists of the third world residing in Europe,
USA and Canada to join hands with it. It would be much appreciated if the
workers of Europe and North America could express solidarity with the working
people of the third world by massively participating in this movement.
We
take the opportunity to present two proposals to the representatives of the
movement: The first is to combine the total relief of the debt with working out
better and soft conditions for future loans motivated by the noble goal of
eradicating poverty. This arrangement has to include the strict national and
international monitoring of the allocation of funds of each loan as precisely
agreed upon to check corruption
and to serve bilateral benefits. The second is to achieve the objective
of convincing the international banking system to disclose the foreign accounts
of the rulers of the countries relieved from debt and to put their account under
international control and to use them, if necessary, in repaying the
installments of new loans . Any
surplus is to be utilized in eradicating illiteracy and improving health status
of the most poverty-stricken population in the country. The banks have no longer
moral inhibitions to refuse disclosing these accounts. The Swiss banks have
already disclosed the gold deposits belonging to the Jews and looted during the
Second World War, the deposits of the Shah of Iran, of Marcos of the
Philippines, of the families of Salinas of Mexico and of Suharto of Indonesia.
Central
Committee statement
The
Sudanese Communist Party considers the Court’s decision to send Mr. Ocalan -
the Kurdish leader to death as a legal attempt to avoid addressing the
real issues at the root of the problem. The Court decision is an attempt by the
Turkish government to solve the Kurdish complicated national problem by legal
means. By doing so, the Turkish government tells the whole world that solving
the Kurdish problem can be achieved through intimidating the Kurdish people and
its leaders.
The
Court decision, and its implementation would only lead to increase tension and
violence in the Kurdish region of Turkey. At the same time, the fact that the EU
and other countries have turned a deaf ear to such decision, shows the double
standard applied by these countries to the complicated national minority issues.
Compare the Kurdish problem and international reaction to those in Kosovo and
East Timor.
The
recent surrender of some leaders of the Kurdish Workers Party (KWP) to the
Turkish government showed that the Kurdish people are serious about ending the
15-year-long military campaign for Kurdish self-rule and a beginning for the
search of a peaceful political solution. The Turkish government responded by
locking up the «peace mission» proclaimed by the KWP and saying it would be
treated as just another bunch of terrorists. The Turkish authorities dismissed
Mr. Ocalan’s peace initiative as an attempt to save himself.
The
Communist Party of Sudan calls upon international organizations, fraternal
parties, human rights organizations and especially the UN and the Organization
for Security and Co-operation in Europe to intervene to save the life of Mr.
Ocalan and to force the Turkish government to enter into dialogue with the
representatives of the Kurdish people to reach a peaceful democratic solution to
the Kurdish problem.
November
1999
Committee
for International Affairs
Communist
Party of Sudan
Communist
Party
of
Sudan
On
Thursday night 20th of August 1998 US missiles bombed Al Shifa
factory, claiming that the said factory was producing deadly VX nerve agent for
terrorists. The new owner of the factory who bought it as recent as end of the
last year claimed that the plant was a Pharmaceuticals factory.
It
is important to state at this juncture that the US action is a clear violation
of international law and that the National Islamic Front is actively engaged in
training, supporting and exporting terrorism and in using chemical weapons in
the civil war against civilians in southern Sudan and the Nuba mountains.
Furthermore the NIF regime is involved in the storage, production and usage of
chemical weapons. The junta ruling Sudan does not hesitate to use weapons of
mass destruction, inside or outside the country to achieve its evil aims.
Terror
unleashed by the NIF regime is not only directed against the US government, but
in the first place against the Sudanese people and their representative of
political, trade unionist and military leaders and activists.
By
its aggressive act, the US government has handed a favor to the NIF regime. The
regime has used the incident to divert world attention from the daily crimes it
commits against the Sudanese people.
Solidarity
with and support to the struggle of the Sudanese people and its representative
the National Democratic Alliance is the only way to topple and eradicate NIF
regime in the Sudan.
We
welcome calls on the UN to send a fact finding mission to the Sudan. However we
would suggest that such a mission should not limit itself to the Al Shifa plant,
but should investigate all military and weapons factories.
We
avail ourselves of this opportunity to once more call upon fraternal parties to
redouble their efforts in solidarity with the struggle of our people against the
region of terror imposed by the NIF regime in the Sudan and for democracy,
peaceful solution to the civil war and the establishment of a new civil and
progressive Sudan.
Communist
Party of Sudan
Committee
For International Affairs
It is with great anger and disapproval that our parties have been following the news about the savage aggression that has been conducted for four continuous weeks by NATO forces under the leadership of the United States against the Federation of Yugoslavia, and about the deliberate barbaric destruction of hospitals, bridges, thermal and energy installations and other infrastructure works in this country, where the number of civilian casualties is growing constantly and the conditions are deteriorating rapidly for the inhabitants of Kosovo. The continuation of this aggression constitutes a grave threat to security and peace in Europe and all over the world.
This
aggression, which is taking place under the NATO label, constitutes a flagrant
violation of the UN Charter and the principles of international law. It openly
oversteps the competencies and duties of the Security Council. It represents the
effort by the US to abrogate the role of agencies of international law, to
practice its hegemony unhindered, and to intervene wherever and whenever it
wants, using any means of destruction it chooses, however barbaric.
While
deploring all forms of national and religious oppression and ethnic cleansing,
whatever their origin and by whomever they are practiced, we confirm that our
peoples, who have suffered and continue to suffer from the hypocrisy of the US
and the policy of double standards that it implements, are well aware that
Washington’s real goals behind this aggression are, on the one hand, to
continue the dismemberment of Yugoslavia in revenge for its historic role in
supporting national liberation movements all over the world and because it
continues to insist on preserving its national sovereignty and refusing to
submit to the dictates of Washington and the demands of NATO; and on the other,
to reinforce the US military presence in the Balkans, which Washington is trying
to subjugate and control, so that the region may become the launching pad for
bringing pressure to bear on Russia and for its encirclement, but also to work
against Europe from the inside, and to obstruct the processes of unification
that stand in the way of US hegemony.
We
demand an immediate end to this barbaric aggression and a return to the
negotiating tables in search of a political solution that will achieve autonomy
for Kosovo within the framework of a united and fully sovereign Yugoslav state.
17
April 1999
The
Jordanian Communist Party
Bahrain
National Liberation Front
Communist
Party of Sudan
Iraqi
Communist Party
Lebanese
Communist Party
Egyptian Communist Party
Communist Party of Sudan
Contribution
to the International Communist Conference
Globalization
and it’s Impact on the Developing Countries
1
/ Background and definitions:
Globalization
has become a catchword in the 20th century world. It is now used
extensively in any and in every context by political and business leaders,
academic and journalists and above all by those working in international
organizations. Next to El Nino, globalization, is perhaps the most widely
discussed notion today. Like El Nino, organization occasionally manifests itself
dramatically in its effects on lives of ordinary people. The recent
financial crises in East Asia illustrate the kind of devastation that may
be felt associated with globalization.
Although
its effects are felt world-wide in various degrees, the notion of globalization
is still not universally understood and positions for or against are often taken
on the basis of ideological leanings or simply gut feelings.
The
terms is often used in an adjectival form- «this globalization phenomenon»-
and in the context of «interdependence» of economies and nations.
The
word «phenomenon» is usually used in relation to a fact or occurrence,
something extraordinary, that is observable but not easily explained.
Used
thus, the term is acquiring a connotation similar to a term like «Gismat» (or
fate) something used by peasants and superstitious people in some developing
countries to explain their present difficult condition of life as something that
has to be borne but can not be changed. However, even those peasants, it needs
to be pointed out, are no longer accept that their ills and deprived condition
of life are due to fate. They are now beginning to relate them to those who
govern them and the system within which they function that enables them to do
so.
Globalization
is also used synonymously for liberation and greater openness of
economies-implying both liberation of the domestic economy and external
liberation. The chairman of the World Trade Organization (WTO), for example,
when speaking at the Telecom 95 to the heads of the major telecommunication
companies of the G-7 countries, said that while «liberation of capital and
trade flows, is creating a global economy, the liberalization of
telecommunications…, will globalize human society itself.
Globalization,
it should be emphasized, is the international economic system - or world economy
- which is the totality of global production, consumption and exchange
activities undertaken by micro actors working within national economies and/or
the world market. In the words of John Ohiorhenuan of the UNDP, globalization
refers to the increasing integration of national economies into a global market
through trade, financial flows, technology spill-over, information networks and
cultural cross-currents. (See, ILA/UNU, Amman, 1998).
Thus,
when people talk of globalization in the economic sector, they are actually
talking about economic and economic related structures knit together and across
the world of nations.
Economic
growth and the whole development process, for that matter, has been made far
more interdependent internationally by the growth of world trade and the
increasing role and transformation of capital and money markets due to global
diffusion of new technology and the global consequences of environmental change.
Globalization,
then, (and the term «integration» often used with it), is really man made and
the outcome of several elements of politics, economics, industrial processes and
the way human society is organized and run, within individual countries and
across countries and relationships. It is by no means a natural phenomenon like
an earthquake or hurricane.
An
important point to bear in mind also is that notions of globalization as an
irreversible process fail to take history or its dialectics into account. In
fact globalization has progressed only by fits and starts in the 20th
century with some important set-backs. Globalization in the 1990s develops at
different sectoral intensities in technology, economics, trade and culture. The
process is rooted above all in the increasing role and transformation of capital
and money markets, the global diffusion of new technology, the global
consequences of environmental change, and the development of global
organizations, inter governmental co-operation regimes and transnational
corporations. A great number of relations have developed in the global system,
linking these different actors in a wide variety of fields. Some such relations
tend to integrate. Others can lead to disintegration and fragmentation. Research
has revealed three simultaneous, interrelated and interacting processes.
Alongside globalization, there is regionalisation and fragmentation. All three
are shaping events and the changes in the life of the people, states and the
international community. These processes are not necessarily developing in a
contradictory, mutually exclusive fashion. At the end of the 20th
century, however, globalization emerges as the strongest and most comprehensive
of the three, representing the greatest challenge to all regions and countries.
Within
the realm of world economic development, globalization -according to some
experts- is acquiring a wide variety of uses. These are:
·
The
emergence of a new asymmetric international division of labor along with greater
dispersion of economic activity; directed by corporate strategy planning that
has replaced governmental or state efforts in various countries.
·
It is
also used in terms of the erosion of the post-war US dominance of the world
economy by the rising competitiveness of Western Europe and of Japan and the
rise of regional spheres of influence.
·
In the
context of the collapse of the centrally planned economies and the capitalist
system dominating most of the world, the term globalization is also used to
describe the world wide spread of capitalism.
Today,
also globalization according to Charles Oman of the OECD, is seen to have three
effects -heightening perceptions of growing
«interdependence», of diminishing national policy sovereignty, and of greater
uncertainty and instability- to which regionalisation is in part a response.
One
would like to conclude this section by following two concrete definitions of
globalization.
Professor
Simai of Hungary, defines globalization as the entirety of such universal
processes as technological transformation, interdependence caused by mass
communications, trade and capital flows, homogenization and standardization of
production and consumption, the predominance of the world market in trade,
investment and other corporate transactions, spatial and institutional
integration of markets, and growing identity or similarity of economic
regulations, institutions and policies. (See Simai, 1994, P. 223).
Similarly,
other writers in the field such as Levitt used the expression to characterize
the vast changes that have taken place over the past two decades in the
international economy i.e. the rapid and pervasive diffusion around the world of
production, consumption and investment of goods, services, capital and
technology. (See, Theodore Levitt -the globalization of markets in Kantrow, A.
M, 1985, p. p 53-680).
2
/ Origin and prime mover forces:
A
/ Technological advances:
An important factor that contributed to and helped this process, are no doubt the advances in technology. This includes advances in the technology of transport, in communication and information technology and with it the transportation of ideas and information across the globe. Similarly, the major corporations of the world-mostly those centered in North America, Europe, and Japan - in pursuit of their profit - maximization and capital accumulation objectives, have been exerting </