SFI Pamphlet on 6th Aug '07

Shame On AISA’S Continuing Defense Of Violence In The Campus!!

Date: 06/08/07

Friends,

Acting in the most shameless and politically bankrupt manner the AISA is continuing with its defense of the incident of 3rd August where Rajan Pandey, a Joint Secy of their JNU unit indulged in a serious act of violence against a YFE activist at the Ad Block. Devoid of any logical defense (which is not possible for such a condemnable act of violence) they have vented out their frustration by attacking the SFI in their yesterday’s pamphlet. The SFI’s description of the incident of that day is an eyewitness account of what happened there and we would appeal to the AISA to stop spreading their lies and doctored stories in trying to defend Rajan. Also it fails our understanding as to how the SFI is responsible for the different versions of that incident by different organizations. In a ridiculous manner the AISA has alleged that the SFI has hidden the fact that Sumit had been discharged from AIIMS day before yesterday. We would like to make it clear to the AISA that the SFI was not reporting the whereabouts of Sumit in its pamphlet. What needs to reckoned with is the fact that Rajan’s attack on Sumit caused him serious injuries and he had to be hospitalized. We strongly believe that such incidents of violence have no place in our campus and are an attack on the progressive democratic culture of this university which has been built after a long and arduous struggle by the students of this campus. We would still appeal to the AISA to show some political integrity and courage to honestly accept that Rajan’s act of violence that day is a condemnable thing and can not be justified on any grounds. We would like to question the AISA that if they are so confident about Rajan’s innocence then why has he disappeared from the campus instead of facing the student community?

Accusing the SFI of Mahajot with the YFE : yet another example of AISA’s political bankruptcy:

The AISA has accused the SFI of entering into a grand mahajot with the YFE and other right wing political organizations because it has taken a position against Rajan’s act of violence. Such an accusation only reflects the degeneration of AISA’s so called radical and alternative model of the student movement in JNU. We would like to make it clear to the AISA that taking a position on violence against an individual does not mean that one supports his/her politics. The SFI has no illusions about the castist and reactionary politics of the Youth for (In) equality in this campus. The progressive student movement of this campus has always shown these organizations their due place in the political spectrum of JNU. We would also like to remind the AISA that it was only because of SFI’s valiant struggle against the divisive and caste based politics of the YFE that the students of this campus decided to give the leadership of the JNUSU in terms of the President’s post to the SFI in last year’s JNUSU elections. But we have always held that the only way to defeat and isolate these forces is waging a political struggle against them and mobilizing students against them on a political and ideological basis. The SFI has always fought tooth and nail against any oppression or act of violence by the right wing lumpens in this campus. We would like to remind the AISA that it was only because of the spirited struggle by the SFI and its JNUSU representatives that punishment was given to the JPF lumpens in the incident of caste abuse and violence against a dalit student in Lohit and Chandrabagha hostels last year. The SFI does not believe that going around and indulging in violence against right wing political activists would strengthen the Left movement in this campus. We would also like to warn the AISA against making such accusations and taking the consciousness of student community for granted in this manner. If lumpenism and violence have become the weapons for fighting organizations like the YFE for AISA’s brand of left politics in this campus, then the progressive student community would give a fitting rebuff to such political ideological bankruptcy.

Who has been acting as an agent of the administration!:

Continuing with their doublespeak and shameless behaviour the AISA has accused the SFI of taking a pro administration stand. We would only like to remind them about the recent agitation where the students have clearly seen the commitment and hard work of SFI AISF activists against the unjust punishments given to 11 students in the 19th February case. In fact we would like to question the AISA about why they have not been able to answer any of the questions raised by us on the submission of appeal by the General Secretary of the JNUSU, who is from their organization. His meek surrender before the administration which has still not revoked the rustications and fines on the students even after more than 3 weeks of a written agreement is nothing else but a complete betrayal of the student movement. We would advise the AISA to indulge in some self introspection before parroting their ultra revolutionary zeal in front of the student community of JNU.

The SFI appeals to the student community to isolate this kind of degenerate and unprincipled politics which would only weaken the left democratic student movement of our campus. We also appeal to the supporters of AISA to think about the kind of activities, which their organizational leadership is doing and justifying in the name of left politics in this campus.

Sd/- Roshan Kishore, President, SFI-JNU.

Sd/- Rajiv Kumar Ranjan, Secretary, SFI-JNU.

SFI Release on Hiroshima Day

Never Again Hiroshima

Fifty-eight years ago, on August 6 and August 9, 1945, U.S. imperialism dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This horrendous crime remains the only time nuclear weapons have been used against humanity. The bombs were the dirtiest nuclear weapons imaginable. They killed over 220,000 people instantly and left entire generations condemned to slowly die from long-term illnesses. It is an atrocity the U.S. rulers not only never apologized for, but defend to this day.

Hiroshima-Nagasaki: An Imperialist Gameplan:

For decades U.S. government officials and other apologists for imperialism have justified Washington's decision to drop the bombs as necessary to save American lives and end the war. Of course this is always the justification of an empire, and will continue to be the banner under which the U.S. rulers inflict brutalities on humanity. But this rationalization covers up the real truth. Washington made the cold-blooded decision to incinerate the civilian populations in these two Japanese cities to send a message to its imperialist rivals and working people around the world. Their message was loud and clear: we not only have the bomb but are more than willing to use it to advance our imperial prerogatives. The point was succinctly made by famous historian Thomas McCormick, who argued, “A prearranged demonstration of the atomic bomb on a non-inhabited target, as some scientists had recommended, would not do. That could demonstrate the power of the bomb, but it could not demonstrate the American will to use the awful power. One reason, therefore, for American unwillingness to pursue Japanese peace feelers in mid-summer 1945 was that the United States did not want the war to end before it had had a chance to use the atomic bomb”.

US’ Nuclear First Strike Policy and Nuclear Proliferation:

Nuclear proliferation problems go back to US’ first uses of the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After the Second World War, it played a charade with the Soviet Union over control of the nuclear genie. A number of American officials called for first strikes against the Soviet Union when it had a nuclear monopoly. Several American presidents have made nuclear threats to the Soviet Union, China, North Vietnam and North Korea. A nuclear first-strike against the Soviet Union was always on the table and discussed openly by General Curtis LeMay and other military leaders during the Cold War. It was such common knowledge that several movies were made about the subject. In a recent article senator Mike Gravel says, “it may have been entirely rational for the Soviet Union and China to view their nuclear capability as deterrence to a possible first-strike by the U.S.”

Nuclear Threat Still Looms Large:

However a threat of nuclear first strike from the US did not end with the Cold War. In George W Bush's America, nuclear weapons are here to stay and are viewed as weapons for fighting wars. The US "Nuclear Posture Review 2002" recommended continued reliance for the indefinite future on nuclear weapons "to achieve strategic and political objectives". It mandated new facilities for the manufacture of nuclear bombs, research into new kinds of nuclear weapons, new delivery-systems, and much more. It laid out a new strategy, in which nuclear weapons were to be used to "dissuade adversaries from undertaking military programs or operations that could threaten U.S. interests or those of allies." It named as possible targets Russia, China, North Korea, Iraq, Iran, Syria and Libya, and opened the door to the use of nuclear weapons to respond to "sudden and unpredicted security challenges." The Pentagon’s Global Strike Plans, including CONPLAN 8022, refers to first-strike possibilities against Iran and North Korea. Just recently, military and CIA officers leaked plans to use nukes to destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities before they could build a bomb.

Fight Imperialism! Fight Nuclear Proliferation!:

The fight against weaponisation is intertwined with the fight against imperialism. Nuclear proliferation cannot stop till world lives under the threat of arrogant US that has the nuclear capacity and intent to destroy countries that do not fall in line with its economic and strategic goals. Let us all resolve on the Hiroshima day to fight US’ global domination and remove the curse of nuclear weapons from our planet. Let us fight for a world free of hunger, exploitation and weapons.

An SFI Release

Poster on Nandigram Film Show

Two Films on Nandigram

Nandigram: In Search of Answers

Directed by Anindita Sarbadhicari
2007 / 1 HOUR 19 MINS / BENGALI / VOICEOVER AND SUBTITLES IN ENGLISH

Nandigram: Aasmaan Ke Talaash Mein
Directed by Prakash Kumar Ray
2007 / 34 MINS / BENGALI, HINDI / VOICEOVER AND SUBTITLES IN HINDI

These two documentary films are based on the tragedy in Nandigram. The police firing in Nandigram on 14th March 2007 has disturbed peace-loving democratic minded people across the country. The Left Front Government in West Bengal has come under intense political attack on the issue from the entire spectrum of political opposition, from the ultra-Right to the ultra-Left. The truth of course was lost in the din of shrill anti-Left propaganda. By revisiting the police firing on 14th March 2007, the sequence of events which led to it as well as its aftermath, the documentaries portray the tragedy as it unfolded.

At KC Open Air Theatre, JNU
Sunday, 12th August 2007
9.00 p.m. onwards

The Directors of the two documentaries will be present to
interact with the audience. All are invited.

SFI