End HOPI"s Exclusion from the Stop the War Coalition
See letter below :
End HOPI's Exclusion from the Stop the War Coalition
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To Andrew Murray, officers and members of the Stop the War Coalition:
We note with great concern the comments of the STWC’s national chair, Andrew Murray, which seem to suggest that coalition officers will again recommend rejection of the affiliation of Hands Off the People of Iran. If this is indeed the case, we urge you to reconsider your decision as soon as possible.
Hopi is an integral part of the anti-war movement. It fights against the threats of imperialism against Iran and has just launched its ‘Smash the Sanctions’ campaign in the House of Commons. Clearly, democracy
cannot be delivered from above, as the example of the invasion and occupation of Iraq shows.
Democracy can only come from below, from the people themselves.
This is why Hopi is in active solidarity with the women’s, workers’ and students’ movements in Iran who are not just fighting against the threat of imperialist war, but also against their own oppressive regime, the Iranian theocracy.
In a letter to the Hopi steering committee on April 15, STWC chair Andrew Murray asks to “clarify a couple of points”. Firstly, to our knowledge no other organisation has ever been asked to pass such an exam before it was allowed to affiliate to the coalition. Why start with Hopi? Secondly, the “points” he requests clarification on actually amount to a single question: Will the Hopi steering committee disassociate itself from comments made by Hopi secretary Mark Fischer (the national organizer of the Communist Party of Great Britain) at an internal CPGB meeting in 2007? This should not be a barrier to our affiliation and could almost be classed as ridiculous.
There is an extremely wide range of opinions concerning STWC in the ranks of Hopi. We are a broad organisation, including the CPGB, the Labour Representation Committee, the PCS, Aslef, Workers Left Unity
(Iran), alongside many other individuals, each with their own unique viewpoint, but working together in common concern for the people of Iran.
In fact, it would be more logical for STWC to assume that Mark Fischer’s views are far more likely to be in a majority in the CPGB itself. Yet we have had confirmation that you are happy to allow this organisation to re-affiliate, to submit motions to your 2009 conference and to stand for election to your steering committee.
This inconsistency brings no credit to the coalition and could lead people to question what your actual reason for excluding Hopi is. We feel that your decision undermines the struggle for effective unity against the sabre-rattling and war preparations of imperialism. The deeply reactionary regime in Tehran is no friend of the international anti-war movement and, as illustrated by its collaborationist role in the US’s occupation of Afghanistan, is no way a consistent opponent of imperialism. Our real allies are in the ranks of the movements that this theocratic regime is busy oppressing and imprisoning on a daily basis. That is the important debate that should be had in the ranks of a
united anti-war movement, alongside - and as a vital component of - its campaigning work.
As for comments made by Mark Fischer two years ago, can we suggest that, instead of attempting to implicitly conflate the views of Hopi and the CPGB, you debate the issues directly with your affiliate, the CPGB?
In solidarity
John McDonnell MP
Professor Moshé Machover
April 23
End HOPI's Exclusion from the Stop the War Coalition
-----------
To Andrew Murray, officers and members of the Stop the War Coalition:
We note with great concern the comments of the STWC’s national chair, Andrew Murray, which seem to suggest that coalition officers will again recommend rejection of the affiliation of Hands Off the People of Iran. If this is indeed the case, we urge you to reconsider your decision as soon as possible.
Hopi is an integral part of the anti-war movement. It fights against the threats of imperialism against Iran and has just launched its ‘Smash the Sanctions’ campaign in the House of Commons. Clearly, democracy
cannot be delivered from above, as the example of the invasion and occupation of Iraq shows.
Democracy can only come from below, from the people themselves.
This is why Hopi is in active solidarity with the women’s, workers’ and students’ movements in Iran who are not just fighting against the threat of imperialist war, but also against their own oppressive regime, the Iranian theocracy.
In a letter to the Hopi steering committee on April 15, STWC chair Andrew Murray asks to “clarify a couple of points”. Firstly, to our knowledge no other organisation has ever been asked to pass such an exam before it was allowed to affiliate to the coalition. Why start with Hopi? Secondly, the “points” he requests clarification on actually amount to a single question: Will the Hopi steering committee disassociate itself from comments made by Hopi secretary Mark Fischer (the national organizer of the Communist Party of Great Britain) at an internal CPGB meeting in 2007? This should not be a barrier to our affiliation and could almost be classed as ridiculous.
There is an extremely wide range of opinions concerning STWC in the ranks of Hopi. We are a broad organisation, including the CPGB, the Labour Representation Committee, the PCS, Aslef, Workers Left Unity
(Iran), alongside many other individuals, each with their own unique viewpoint, but working together in common concern for the people of Iran.
In fact, it would be more logical for STWC to assume that Mark Fischer’s views are far more likely to be in a majority in the CPGB itself. Yet we have had confirmation that you are happy to allow this organisation to re-affiliate, to submit motions to your 2009 conference and to stand for election to your steering committee.
This inconsistency brings no credit to the coalition and could lead people to question what your actual reason for excluding Hopi is. We feel that your decision undermines the struggle for effective unity against the sabre-rattling and war preparations of imperialism. The deeply reactionary regime in Tehran is no friend of the international anti-war movement and, as illustrated by its collaborationist role in the US’s occupation of Afghanistan, is no way a consistent opponent of imperialism. Our real allies are in the ranks of the movements that this theocratic regime is busy oppressing and imprisoning on a daily basis. That is the important debate that should be had in the ranks of a
united anti-war movement, alongside - and as a vital component of - its campaigning work.
As for comments made by Mark Fischer two years ago, can we suggest that, instead of attempting to implicitly conflate the views of Hopi and the CPGB, you debate the issues directly with your affiliate, the CPGB?
In solidarity
John McDonnell MP
Professor Moshé Machover
April 23
Can commentators on this please try to debate without calling people names such as scabs and nazi's .
posted by stroppybird at 3:50 pm
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