London PTUDC meeting on recent terror arrests

Zakir, a Pakistani comrade living in Manchester, had come down to explain about the roots of terrorism and fanaticism. He explained that there was no such thing as a "clash of civilisations". When the United States invaded Iraq, millions of people all over the world took to the streets, showing that the world was united against the planned occupation. Zakir criticised the imperialists of the world, who are the real terrorists, but didn't refrain from criticising the fundamentalists either. He concluded that all the talk about "democracy" is a hollow shell. "The imperialists used to say there was no democracy in the Soviet Union. But let me ask you: where is the democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan. Do people have any say there?"

After this introduction the debate was opened to the floor by Aatif Khan, Secretary of the British PTUDC, who chaired the meeting.

Dave Sullivan, a Socialist Appeal supporter living in Walthamstow, and one of the organisers of the meeting, explained a bit more about the reason why the meeting had been called. "After the recent arrests in the area we decided to call a meeting in the name of the PTUDC in order to involve Asian workers in Britain. We had a very positive reaction at last weekend's Walthamstow Festival and discussed the attacks on the democratic rights of workers in Britain with local people." Dave explained about the threat to civil liberties in the form of the "90 days detention policy" and pointed out the fatal shooting of the innocent Brazilian electrician Jean Charles De Menezes last year, and the shooting in Forest Gate, illustrating that the police were totally incompetent when it came to dealing with the terrorist threat. He stressed that, despite what Blair is saying, there is a very clear link between Britain's foreign policy and the threat of terrorism.

Tom Rollings spoke briefly about immigration, saying that from the point of view of socialists, immigration is a good thing. Pakistani comrades in London, for example, were able to campaign and raise money for the PTUDC Earthquake Appeal. Polish workers, who usually work in Britain for only a couple of years, can gain trade union experience which they can take back to their country, where it is harder to organise.

Preparing for the meeting in Walthamstow

Amir Hussain talked about the resistance all over the world and that it would be very wrong to describe all of this as the work of fundamentalists. He said it would be wrong to isolate ourselves and to condemn all forms of fundamentalism in an abstract way. "Imperialism is a bigger enemy than fundamentalism".

Rob Sewell, a member of the Steering Committee of the Hands Off Venezuela campaign, described the imperialists as very cynical people because they were the ones who backed the fundamentalists in the past. Besides, the biggest threat is Bush and other Christian fundamentalists whose policy it is to try to dominate the world. "They create turmoil wherever they go but now they are in trouble because imperialism is overstretched". He concluded by pointing out the revolutionary developments in Latin America, where US imperialism finds it hard to intervene directly because they are so bogged down in other parts of the world. "People are starting to see through all the propaganda and they don't believe the lies of the government any more"

Hasan reiterated the point that the so-called war on terror is in fact a war against the workers. He advocated support neither for the imperialists nor the fundamentalists.

Pam Woods, a Unison shop steward, explained how imperialism is playing people off against each other. Now in Britain the ruling class is openly playing the race card. Usually they prefer not to do this. They don't want riots - these damage property and cost money - so it is a sign of their desperation that they are openly using the divide and rule tactic. "The imperialists of the world are waging war against the workers. Previous welfare reforms are all being taken away because capitalism simply cannot afford them any longer. Such is the decay of capitalism these days."

Harry Whittaker, a retired building worker and former UCATT activist, raised the question of who creates fundamentalism. He said we have to go back to Palestine and Israel. After the Second World War the United States wanted a point of support in the Middle East, which they found in the new state of Israel. The Palestinians were utterly humiliated in this process - everything was taken from them and their houses were bulldozed. Now, after the fall of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, imperialism needs another bogey man. The only answer to all this madness is for working people to unite and to fight for socialism.

Aatif Khan, British PTUDC Secretary, then said a few words about the origins of the Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign. The Campaign was set up in 1996 after the murder of Arif Shah, a famous working class leader assassinated by the state. Ten years on, the PTUDC is still fighting for trade union rights in Pakistan but also organising journalists and peasants. It tries to bring the working class together, no matter what trade union they are in. A big success for the PTUDC was the civil service strike in Quetta and the fight against the privatisation of the steel mills. Last year a labour conference was organised with more than 300 trade union representatives from all over Pakistan participating. The President of the PTUDC is Manzoor Ahmed, who has protested against several reactionary labour laws like IRO 2002 and against privatisation. Aatif made the link with Britain and said that the PTUDC was also formally launched in Britain a few years ago with the support of several large trade unions and left-wing MPs like John McDonnell. "This meeting is just a start and we are determined to build the PTUDC in Britain too."

Finally, a collection was held and £73 raised, to be used to organise future events. Aatif Khan also moved a resolution in solidarity with the Sindh teachers who have become the subject of repression by the Pakistani state (see Repression of teachers in Sindh - International action needed!). The resolution, which we reproduce below, was unanimously accepted:

Dear Mr. President Musharraf,

This meeting notes with disgust the reports of the  ban on the Sindh Teachers Union by your government under the draconian law of IRO 2002. This was condemned all over your country on 14^th August, the Independence Day of Pakistan. The Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign mobilised to protest against this measure.

As should be their democratic right the teachers of Sindh decided to protest against this repression and struggle for their rights. All the teachers' unions of Sindh decided to hold a sit-in in front of the Chief Minister's house on 22^nd August.

We are outraged to hear that there were mass arrests of teachers the night before in order to curtail the protest and that they were held without charge until noon the next day.

Those that managed to arrive at the Karachi Press Club decided to march to the Chief Minister's House but were subjected to a baton-charge and tear gas by the police.

These repressive actions are not consistent with democratic principles and reflect very badly on your government and police-force. Indeed, members of your own National Assembly have walked out in protest.

You must halt these repressive measures. Teachers and students should be able to organise freely in trade unions and without fear of violence, intimidation and interference in their internal affairs. You must repeal the ban of the Sindh Teacher's Union now in order that teachers can protect and improve their conditions of employment.