End HOPI"s Exclusion from the Stop the War Coalition

See letter below :

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 .

Why HOPI should be accepted for membership in StWC

I thought I would stick my tuppence h'alfpenny regarding this debate around HOPI (Hands Off People of Iran).

To put my own cards on the table, Andrew Murray of StWC is wrong to decline membership to HOPI.

I hope this ludicrous decision is overturned soon. There is sabre rattling regarding an attack on Iran and another country to be targeted by the imperialist west.

"The main focus of StWC is, however, on challenging the policies of the British government in respect of the war, which includes respecting the rights of all peoples to self-determination.."

I am an anti-imperialist. Regime change has to be from within by the self-determination of the Iranian people. But why can't HOPI join? I think the arguments used by Murray are red herrings esp. One argument being that HOPI being a front for the CPGB. And I can't see how HOPI really counterposes the politics of StWC either.

There are probably other fronts…and many groups do indeed have more fronts than the average sea side town! But a coalition (yes, the word, “coalition”) should accept them. Unless if it is a deliberate attempt to smash and disrupt your group up then yes, you would bar them.

But this doesn't seem to be the case with HOPI as there are people involved who are consistent principled anti-imperialists. You politically argue your points by NOT barring them, or the specious argument that “the CPGB are a collective pain in the arse” is nonsense… Reality check here, name me a group that isn’t?

This decision should be overturned as it will give StWC a very bad name along with the anti-war movement overall. It will start an unhealthy precedent and attacks democracy. If we are gonna get picky about political affliliations and picking and choosing then what’s Andrew Murray’s group again, many people think StWC is an “SWP front” and so on… glass houses, throwing stones come to mind as well.

If this is a "front" by the CPGB then they are utterly clever in hoodwinking comrades. The list of names include some I have known for years and have been around the political block for years and would know a "front organisation" if they saw one.

If also we use this bizarre logic of denying HOPI membership then why are Labour lefties allowed? I mean, we are members of a pro-war, pro-imperialist party. Murray's argument falls to pieces. It shouldn't be allowed any gravitas.

I think Charlie Pottins is correct in asserting: "If Hands off the People of Iran was really just set up as some devious CPGB stunt, they have been clever with it. The supporters' list includes some well-known figures whose standing in the anti-war, labour and> progressive movements few would doubt (e.g.John> Pilger, Ken Loach, Naomi Klein, MPs John McDonnell and Harry Cohen, and Green MEP Caroline Lucas...).


I think it boils down, partly, to people disliking the CPGB and that is pretty subjective and apolitical. There's are many groups on the Left that I find annoying and narksome but I don't think, hey, lets bar 'em. I work with them, argue and engage with them. HOPI has other groups/individuals involved including Organisation of Revolutionary Workers of Iran, and Workers Left Unity Iran, so let them have membership.



The treatment of HOPI will fuel the fires of the pro-war "left" while rubbing their hands in glee something which coulda/shoulda been avoided.

Friday Fuckwits - Stop the War Coalition (well its executive and those voting against Hopi)

I posted up a letter last week from John McDonnell MP and Professor Moshé Machover calling for an end to Hopi's exclusion from the StWC. I  won't regurgitate the argument as you can click and read for yourselves.

I was disheartened but not surprised to read Jim's report on the conference. Check it out, but here are the main points re Hopi:

Sadly the affiliation of Hands off the People of Iran, an organisation that opposes war and sanctions as well as providing solidarity with Iranian trade unionists, feminists and other progressives, was again blocked.

The speeches against came from the chair, in his capacity as chair (where else does this happen?), and a particularly vacuous individual who actually said that if Hopi wanted to support the progressive movements against the Iranian regime they should hop on a plane and do it in Iran. But where do they campaign against sanctions or invasion from?

I've been told to go back to Russia a number of times in my life but this is the first time I've heard go back to Iran. I look forward to this person denouncing those who provide support to anti-occupation movements in Afghanistan and Iraq and demanding these people go to these countries if they want to fight the regimes there. No? Thought not.

Jim is asked in the comments what the argument against Hopi is, and he explains :

They were astoundingly weak.

The speaker against said that you couldn't oppose the Iranian regime without making the case for war and sanctions (which isn't true), that it was up to Iranians to make these decisions (which has an element of truth to it but if taken to its logical conclusion means that solidarity work is impossible, including the work of the stwc), that argument also makes the assumption that solidarity work is the same thing as overthrowing the regime from the outside - which seems facile to me.

Most of his speech was taken up with saying why the stwc shouldn't take up the policies of hopi - which is a complete irrelavance to the debate.

Andrew Murray's arguments were equally weak. They centered around the fact that in 2006 Mark Fisher of the CPGB said nasty things about the stwc. It was jaw droppingly thin - but delegates were pre-disposed to vote against hopi affiliating i think - and having heard some of the bizarre things people come out with about it sometimes I think there's a whispering camapign against it, which is probably where that vote was really won.

So this week's 'honour' goes to the executive , those who argued against Hopi and the sectarian fodder that voted against. No wonder the left is fucked.

Hopi v LRC cricket and social fundraisers 1st August

Right, another plug.

This Saturday there is the social events of the season, well for assorted lefties that is. Yep, forget Ascot or Wimbledon, check out:

Some of the finest sportsmen and women will be donning their whites, well tatty t-shirts and shorts I expect, and raising money for Iranian workers:

Hands Off the People of Iran play the Labour Representation Committee in 30 overs of cricket with John McDonnell MP and Attila the Stockbroker leading the two teams - all in order to raise as much money as possible for the Iranian workers' movement.
We have set ourselves the target of 1,000 pounds but are quietly confident that we can ago well above this if we put our minds to it and draw in as many of our vast supporters as possible. Such funds are absolutely central to our comrades in Iran organizing in the most difficult of situations and now facing a hugely repressive crackdown on their protests and rallies.
This is why it is absolutely vital that the workers’ movement in this country organizes material and ideological solidarity. The working class needs its own foreign policy linking the workers’, women’s and students’ struggles in Iran with those in this country and elsewhere. 
So, we need need your help to get this event off the ground and to hopefully make it so successful that there will be many similar events for years to come!

Details here .

The almost final line up is :

HOPI

1.Attila Stockbroker (c) (HOPI Brighton)
2.Ben Lewis (CPGB) All-Rounder
3.Jack Howe (DEMO, Nottingham) Fast Bowler
4.Sunny Hundal (Pickled Politics) All-Rounder
5.Matt Sellwood (Green Party) Batsman
6.Natalie Bennett (Green Party) All-Rounder
7.Martin Jones (HOPI Chesterfield) Off Spin
8.Jamie Moloney(wk) (Chair, HOPI King's College)
9. Robert Shrew (HOPI London) Leg Spin
10. John Sidwell (Communist Students) All-Rounder
11. Rosie Isaac (Socialist Party)

LRC

1.John McDonnell MP (c) (LRC Chair) All-Rounder
2. Rory Macqueen (LRC national committee) Leg Spin
3. Tom Davies ( LRC and NUJ) All-Rounder
4.Sean McNeill (wk) (LRC and Unite) Batsman
5.Andrew Fisher (LRC NC and Unite) Batsman
6.Mary Partington (LRC NC and Unite)
7.John Wiseman (LRC and Unite) Medium Pace Bowler
8.Joe Flynn (LRC and NUT) Leg Spin
9.John Millington (LRC and Morning Star)
10.Sam Tarry (Young Labour Chair and Compass)
11.Tom Neilson (LRC and NW Leics Labour) All-Rounder
12.Ian McGovern (LRC)

I think there are a few more to be added, but given I have never watched a cricket match in my life and do not know the rules I have no idea how many should be on a team. Or for that matter what a leg spin or fast bowler is!

As you can see its a good mix of  the left . John McDonnell is captaining the LRC and I have heard he is a bit  handy with a cricket bat. Hmm. Nice to see a mix of women and men playing as well.

Well as someone who is a member of both the LRC and Hopi I'm not fussed who wins. I'm not sure how exciting watching cricket is , but there will be booze , food and good company. Oh and who knows , Marsha Jane may liven up the proceedings , and not in her usual way, by going into labour two weeks early! 

In the evening there is a Hopi fundraising social in the classy surroundings of the Dalston Social Centre. Its so close to Dave's that I'll be able to prise him away from his books and get him down there. That plus the threat of bringing round a load of drunk lefties to invade his flat if he doesn't. 

Details here .

Help will be needed on the day, such as making tea and pouring pints (I do hope they will have some Pims !), or helping on the door in the evening. Donations of food or raffle prizes are also most welcome.

Guest post -HOPI Conference - 13th December

Another guest post , this time from Ben Lewis :



Ben Lewis is a member of the HOPI Steering Committee and a member of the Communist Party of Great Britain.

The second annual conference of Hands Off the People of Iran comes at a vital moment for the struggle against the threat of war on Iran and the sanctions war currently being waged on Iran.

Hopi has had some important successes over the past twelve months, not least the affiliation of the two major national unions Aslef and PCS. But our small steps forward underline just how much work needs to be done - especially at a time when some in the anti-war movement seem to think we can afford to relax about the threat of a new disastrous war in the Middle East.

Comrades in the movement have told us that the world economic crisis, with its attendant collapse of major banks and financial institutions, eases the pressure on Iran. Many sincere activists hope that perhaps the leaders of the Western world will now be too preoccupied with their financial woes to countenance starting a new war in the Middle East.

In Hopi's view, this is dangerously complacent. In the past, imperialism has often turned to external war to alleviate problems at home. Reports reach us that influential voices in the Israeli government and secret service are lobbying the US government hard to “deal with Iran” before George W. Bush leaves office. The election of Barack Obama - however his foreign policy develops in the longer term - actually adds to pressure, as noted in the Sunday Times by David Owen (foreign secretary from 1977 to 1979):

“Some key decision makers in Israel fear that unless they attack Iranian nuclear enrichment facilities in the next few months, while George W Bush is still president, there will not be another period when they can rely on the United States as being anywhere near as supportive in the aftermath of a unilateral attack. 

“Following an Israeli attack and Iranian countermeasures, the American military would be bound to follow Bush's orders. The president-designate … would be wary of criticising him. It is imperative that voices are raised in America and Europe to warn Israel off unilateral action against Iran. The experience of Georgia has given an amber, if not a green, light to Israel …” Now is not the time to relax - now is the time to dramatic step up our anti-war agitation and activity!

HOPI’s political perspective flows from two principles:

1. Imperialism has no progressive role to play in this region or in any other part of the world. It is the main enemy of the peoples of the world. We therefore campaign against the threat of any imperialist intervention and fight for an end to sanctions. Sanctions are not an alternative to war, but a form of war. We demand the immediate, unconditional withdrawal of all occupying troops from the Gulf and an end to Israel’s expansion and aggression.

2. The islamic regime - whether in the sway of the ‘reformist’ faction around Mohammad Khatami (dubbed the ‘mullah with a smile’ by radical Iranian students) or the hard-line Mahmoud Ahmadinejad - is also an enemy. Its repressive and reactionary policies actually smooth the way for imperialist designs on the region. This means that we must build active, practical solidarity with grassroots, progressive and secular forces in Iran - the radical women’s, workers’ and students’ movements. The ongoing nightmare of Iraq underlines that US-led imperialist forces can only introduce social meltdown and chaos - a fertile breeding ground for reaction. Progressive, democratic change must spring from below - from the struggles of the working class and social movements.

In fact the question of imperialist threats and the islamic regime are directly interrelated, with the Iranian theocracy using the pretext of imperialist intervention to divert attention away from the country’s endemic crisis, deflect popular anger onto foreign enemies and thus prolong its iron rule.

This makes the tasks of the anti-war movement quite clear, underlining the significance of HOPI’s political approach. As Mike Macnair put it in a discussion on The Commune:

“Solidarity against US attack on its own, without opposition to the regime and support for the Iranian workers’ movement, is not even anti-imperialist because the Iranian regime is the main regional backer of the US war in Afghanistan and occupation of Iraq and because the US may at any moment come up with an overt deal with the regime.

Solidarity with the Iranian workers’ movement on its own, without clear opposition to the role of the imperialists in the region, tends to fall in behind the US plans and covert ops for a ‘colour revolution’ or break-up of Iran”.

The Hopi conference is an important opportunity for activists to clarify our plans. There will be plenty of time to during the day to debate motions submitted on important themes. Speakers from Iran will provide up-to-date information on the women's, workers' and students' movements as they face up to the enormous pressure being exerted on them as the theocratic regime uses the war threat to clamp down on its internal dissidents. The conference will be a chance for trade unionists to share their experiences of Iranian solidarity work in different parts of the movement.

Speakers on the day will include:

John Mc.Donnell MP

Behrouz Karimizadeh (Iranian Students for Freedom and Equality)

Kaveh Abassian (Iranian Students for Freedom and Equality)

Torab Saleth (Workers’ Left Unity Iran)

Yassamine Mather (CPGB)

Details

Hopi weekend school

Info from hopi :

Hopi weekend school

Saturday-Sunday, June 14-15, University of London Union, Malet Street.

We are still finalising the agenda, but topics will include:

1.War, human rights and ‘humanitarian interventions’;
2.Iran, Israel and the Middle East and the nuclear question
3.Sanctions and Iran
4.Can imperialism liberate women in the Middle East?
5.National and religious minorities
6.The working class movements and their response to the economic crisis in Iran
7.The 1979 revolution and its aftermath

If possible, please book your place in advance by paying via Paypal or by sending cheques/postal orders to Hopi, PO Box 54631, London N16 8YE.

Even if you cannot come, maybe you/your organisation/your trade union is able to sponsor this important conference? Any financial help is very much welcome!

Book a stall for £20
£20 waged; £10 unwaged

Info at Hopi

Hopi AGM 28th November

Info from Hopi :

Somers Town Community Centre, 150 Ossulston Street, London NW1 1EE (near Euston station). Registration from 10am.



Since the June 2009 elections, the situation in Iran has dramatically changed. Thousands have taken to the streets in defiant protest – despite the Iranian regime’s history of brutal repression. Initially, they were commonly portrayed as middle-class backers of the leading ‘reformist’ candidate Mir-Hossein Moussavi, but as protests have continued, and Moussavi himself has repeatedly shown his timidity and ties to the theocratic state, the mood has radicalised dramatically and this anger has embroiled wide swathes of the society. Many of those who were initially protesting against the election outcome now question the entire basis of Iran’s Islamic republic and there are daily strikes and protests. Come along to our AGM to discuss this and many other issues.

Motions:
All Hopi members can submit motions, which will be taken during the relevant part of the agenda. Deadline for motions: Friday, November 20. Deadline for amendments: Wednesday, November 25.

Agenda:

• from 10am

Registration: £10 waged/£5 unwaged

• 11am-11.30am

Report of Hopi secretary Mark Fischer, incl. campaigning priorities for the next 12 months

• 11.30am-1pm

Imperialism’s need for conflict and the situation in the Middle East
With Moshe Machover (Matzpen founder) and Mike Macnair (CPGB)

• 1-2pm

Lunch

• 2pm-3.30pm

Why sanctions are not a ’soft alternative’
With Cyrus Bina, author ‘Modern Capitalism and Islamic Ideology in Iran’

• 4pm-5.30pm

Iran’s workers’ movement since the June 2009 elections
With Yassamine Mather, Hopi chair
incl. Launch: Day of solidarity with workers in Iran

There will also be a fundraising event in the evening at the same venue. To find out more, or to reserve your place, send an email to office@hopoi.info

HOPI Moves Away From Opposing Both US and Iranian Regime

I've been pondering the recent HOPI statement about Obama. Nothwithstanding some obvious and true points about Obama and the US ruling class, it seems to me to be a step away from the 'third camp' politics of supporting the working class against both the Iranian regime and US imperialism which is HOPI's main appeal.

When it first started, HOPI was quite an attractive project, and I know that it involves lots of good people with a sound outlook of defending the Iranian people against both the Iranian regime and US aggression. But its political core has shown on several occasions now that it can not resist the pull of the 'anti-imperialist' demagogy that dominates sections of the left, and it seems to be allowing it to be dragged in that direction in rather the same way that the Death Star's tractor beam dragged in the Millenium Falcon.

Here is the statement, with a few comments from me ...

Statement: Barack Obama’s ‘diplomacy’ initiative is no new beginning*

Much has been made of Barack Obama’s Newroz message, which is supposed to represent a “new beginning” for relations between the US and the Islamic Republic.

But we should take a closer look at Obama's project in the Middle East and what he is looking to gain from Iran.

This clearly is no new beginning. The speech is part and parcel of the gunpoint diplomacy initiated by George W. Bush and continued under Barack Obama. Bush himself gave out numerous messages of a similar nature during his presidency. The only difference is that Obama actually addresses the people and leaders of the Islamic Republic directly.

But his demands remain the same:
- Iran should give up uranium enrichment and accept international offers to provide fuel for nuclear power
- Iran should stop arming Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza
- Iran should stop threatening Israel
- Iran must help in achieving peace in Afghanistan and Iraq

So, why not say what you think of the demands themselves? Yes, the US ruling class is hypocritical in raising these demands, for example calling for help in achieving peace in countries where it initiated war! But what if the Iranian workers' movement raised these demands? Would we have a problem with that? If so, why not say so?!

Iran's supreme Leader Ayatollah Khameni wasted little time dismissing the message as “words”, adding he had seen no change in America's “attitude or policy”. Obama knows that it would be political suicide for the Islamic regime to accept those demands. It might be able to keep going by accepting one of the four, but this in turn would not be acceptable for Obama.

And would we have a problem with the Islamic regime committing political suicide? No - so why not say so?!

Further, why is there no comment on Khameni's comment?

Isn't there an implication here that the demands are out-of-order and the Ayatollah's response reasonable? Or if not, why not say so?!

In reality, Obama is trying to influence the Iranian presidential elections, which take place in June. Through sanctions, sable-rattling, diplomatic pressure and the enormous funding for organisations who pursue US-sanctioned ‘regime change’, the US are trying to set the political agenda of these elections in an attempt to force a politically pliant government.

He is pursuing regime change from above, in other words. But the example of Iraq clearly shows that real democracy must come from below, from the people themselves. Just like George W. Bush, Barack Obama has no confidence in the Iranian people to liberate themselves. In fact, by ratcheting up the existing sanctions against Iran - and by threatening even stricter sanctions - he actually undermines the work and efforts of many workers, students and women’s organisations who are fighting against the theocracy. Sanctions disorganise the working class as people squander their fighting energies on day-to-day struggles to simply survive. Sanctions dramatically degrade the ability of the working people to struggle collectively on their own account, to radically refashion society in their own image, to organise and fight.

It is rather strange that Obama has used Iran’s support for ‘terrorism’ as the justification for his new round of sanctions. After all, the US are very keen on getting Iran to attend their ‘Afghanistan conference’. It seems that when the Iranian government acts in the interests of the US, they make a perfectly acceptable ‘partner’.

Hands Off the People of Iran is clear: US-led imperialism, whoever is at its helm, is the greatest enemy of the people of Iran and indeed the peoples of the whole world.

Is it really? Would you say that to the loved ones of the people whose bodies hang from cranes in a recent post on this blog? To those executed for homosexuality, or imprisoned and tortured for trade union activities?

And as the hyperbole escalates, we reach the statement that US-led imperialism is the greatest enemy of the peoples of the whole world. Really?! There is not a people on the planet who have a greater enemy - for example, their own ruling class - than 'US-led imperialism'?

There can be no ‘peace’ based on gunpoint diplomacy or a ‘deal’ between one section of the Iranian theocracy and US imperialism - this would actually entrench the US project in the Middle East and provide backing for the disastrous war in Afghanistan, currently being stepped up by Obama. Hopi fights for a nuclear-free Middle East as a step towards a nuclear-free world.

Our campaign also fights for:

- No to imperialist war! For the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of US/UK troops from Iraq and all the Gulf region!
- No to any imperialist intervention. The immediate and unconditional end to sanctions on Iran.
- No to the theocratic regime
- Opposition to Israeli expansionism and aggression
- Support to all working class and progressive struggles in Iran against poverty and repression
- Support for socialism, democracy and workers' control in Iran

So finally we see a statement against the Iranian regime. Except for the implied criticism in the paragraph starting He is pursuing regime change form above, this is the first time the statement has criticised the Iranian regime. But it is deliberately outnumbered by statements against the US. It also comes across as tagged on the end, rather like the 'notes to editors' after the end of a press release.

(I'm also faintly puzzled by the inclusion of a demand about Israel. It is a demand I agree with, but there is no explanation as to its relevance to a campaign whose title is just about Iran. Sure, Israel has a nasty government and is in the same region as Iran, but there are others that fit that description too.)

HOPI's stance now seems not so much 'a plague on both your houses' as 'a really big plague on your house and a small infection on yours'.

Hopi Emergency Meeting - What lies behind the crisis in Iran?

A plug for a meeting this Saturday , from the Hopi website :


With Yassamine Mather and Moshe Machover. Followed by a fundraising social.

20 June 2009, 2pm
Caxton House,129 St. John's Way London, N19 3RQ

Iranian society is convulsed by a political crisis on a scale not seen for 30 years. Masses of Iranian people have taken to the streets since the results of the rigged elections. Their outrage is justified. The levels of blatant vote-rigging on show was crazy even by the standards of Iran's Islamic Republic regime. The final result underlined that the whole process was compromised from top to bottom:
Ahmadinejad was declared winner by the official media even before some polling stations had closed
The percentage of votes for each candidate were clearly choreographed - throughout results night, none of the candidates' vote varied by more than three percent
Hundreds of candidates were barred from standing in the first place
The main ‘reformist’ candidate Mir-Hossain Moussavi immediately declared the elections a “charade” and claimed Iran was moving towards tyranny. Thousands of protesters (not all of them backers of Moussavi) poured onto the streets and confrontations between the people and the state’s armed forces have escalated by the hour. Millions of people are on the street. The first demonstrator has been killed.

Iranian society remains on a knife-edge. Hopi supporters are in daily contact with Iran and are pushing for maximum solidarity from the workers’ movement here to progressive forces in that country. We are determined that the upsurge against theocratic rule is not derailed by demoguoges and sell-out merchants from within the regime itself. Come along to hear more about what is going on.

Read Yassamine Mather's assessment of the elections: http://www.hopoi.org/articles/elections%20June%202009.html

Thoughts anyone on the election and Hopi's analysis ?

Hopi week of action, February 13th-20th 2010

Via Facebook :


This will see fundraising events, protest actions and meetings. Comrades around the country are coming forward with ideas for activities that range from pickets and petitions, to benefit meals for a few comrades and friends. We want to mobilise every Hopi supporter to participate in the week, at whatever level their circumstances and time constraints allow. (And make sure you send us small reports and photos for our website!)

February is a key month in the Iranian political calendar. The Shah’s regime imploded in February 1979. Every year since, the government has initiated official state-backed marches and rallies to celebrate the revolution and to bolster the myth that its social and political dynamic was simply ‘Islamic’.

However this year, in the aftermath of the huge upsurges post the rigged presidential elections in June 2009, the regime will face stiff opposition. There will be counterdemonstrations organised by both the Green reformists such as the western media darling Mir-Hossein Moussavi and by more radical trends within the movement, forces that are subject to a media blackout.

In their different ways, both these reformists and the elements to their left will challenge the theocracy for the legacy of 1979. This difference is vital, however. The likes of Moussavi charge that the regime has lost its way and deserted the ‘true’ Islamic nature of the revolution. For the left, 1979 could have had a very different outcome. That is, a victory for the forces of popular democracy from below and fundamental social change.

Iran is in turmoil and the opposition is utilising every opportunity to protest and organise. These counterdemonstrations will also commemorate the 40th day since the death of the leading reformist cleric Ayatollah Montazeri and also the murder of protesters in the Ashura demonstration in late December.

This poses important tasks to the anti-war and solidarity movement in this country and beyond.

First and foremost, we have to dramatically step our work against any imperialist intervention against Iran. Military action would be a disaster for the burgeoning movement. It would disrupt and disperse the masses just at a time when we are beginning to see the potential for a new Iran, shaped by the democratic and militant action of millions of ‘ordinary’ Iranians themselves.

Sanctions – the so-called ‘soft’ option – have the same demobilising effect, if anything in a more insidiously poisonous way. When working people have to spend their time individually begging, bartering or borrowing their way round shortages of basic foodstuffs and amenities, their ability to collectively impose a progressive agenda on society as a whole suffers.

So, we have to see off the threats of imperialism. We have to give the ‘red’ strands within the Green movement in Iran the space to survive and thrive. In contrast to some mistaken comrades in the anti-war movement, Hopi knows that the real Iranian anti-imperialists are amongst the millions of protesters on the streets, not in the corrupt and deeply compromised echelons of the clerical bureaucracy.

In addition to our anti-war work, we must also supply these comrades with the oxygen of publicity.

The bulk of the mainstream English or Persian’s media reporting of the upsurge since June 2009 has implied that the ‘Green movement is a homogeneous bloc, where the masses are little more than ‘walk-on/walk-off’ bit-part players in a drama directed by Moussavi and the reformists.

In truth, these ‘leaders’ have struggled to keep up with the movement. Actions and slogans on the ground have gone far beyond even the maximum demands of the reformists. Since at least September ’09, important elements amongst workers, students, women and youth have called for the overthrow of the entire regime. While the Green leaders repeated assert their loyalty to the existing order, militant slogans from the movement they purport to lead demand the overthrow of the supreme religious leader, Khamenei and the entire apparatus of Islamicist rule and oppression.

None of this finds reflection in the mainstream media. The BBC and the western news outlets are the propaganda wing of the imperialist campaign. Sanctions and the threat of military strikes serve the purpose of undermining the Ahmadinejad-led regime and preparing a ‘colour revolution’ a la Georgia or the Ukraine, headed by the likes of Moussavi. The BBC’s selective silence about the evolving politics of the real movement beneath this ‘hero’ makes it the propaganda arm of that reactionary campaign.

We will target the BBC for protest during the week of action. Details of protests and activities are being finalised as this bulletin goes out. We will keep comrades posted, but check regularly on our website for updates.


Check out the Facebook page for more info as events added. Also check out the Hopi website .

Hands off the People of Iran conference

Tami has done a very thorough post on the conference yesterday over at Shiraz, I won't repeat it all here , have a look over there. I will though just add my thoughts on the day.

I went along because I thought it was wrong that HOPI were not allowed to affiliate to the StWC coalition. The reports of the StWC coalition made for depressing reading. Hopi accused of being a CPGB front, yet CPGB allowed to affiliate . Hopi being called disruptive . Platform speakers acting as apologists for a repressive regime.

What the fuck is wrong with the left !! It is perfectly possible to oppose an attack on Iran whilst acknowledging the repressive regime and supporting the struggle of women, trade unionists,students, socialists and LGBT people to overthrow it.Its possible to do both, really its not that hard !
To me its seems both unprincipled and tactically wrong not to.

The media will report on the repression in Iran and it will be used by Bush to justify an attack. The left trying to argue that its not really undemocratic or really that bad does not help tactically. It discredits us to be seen to support the Iranian regime . Surely as the left we should clearly state that we oppose reactionary religious regimes that deny basic human rights to their people and actively enforces a religious code through brutality .

We should state that we do not support a war or sanctions on Iran as its the people who will suffer and it is not for their benefit and that we support those who are struggling , the women, secularists, LGBT people, socialists, students and trade unionists.
In terms of principles what message do we on the left send to those people at the sharp end of a repressive religious regime if we minimise whats happening? We have failed them.

So that's why I went to the conference . What I saw was open debate, a mix of views and groups represented and a number of Iranians , mainly women, who felt betrayed and angry at the left siding with reactionary religious groupings and dismissing their struggle. A steering group was formed that included people from the Green party, CPGB, PR , Workers Communist Party of Iran and the Workers Communist Party of Iraq and probably other views as well. Everyone had a chance to speak . It was democratic . Changes were made to the founding statement and the constitution . Debate was comradely .

As Tami has pointed out we had a few grumbles about the issue of women and LGBT people. LGBT were not included in either the founding statement nor the constitution. I proposed the amendments to the founding statement and Tami to the constitution . These were passed.
When Tami proposed the aim of having 50% women on the steering committee another man felt it was not needed on the left. We both felt a 'Kylie's arse' situation occurring and did make some comments about yes the left still has issues about involving women. Another felt that the problems of the Labour Party were down to having quotas for women (which was not what Tami proposed, she said an aim). And I though it was the New labour agenda, silly me its those damn women.It wasn't passed. In the end there were I think at least half women on it, including Tami!

There was motions on workers and students but none on women or LGBT people. Azar Majedi put together one on women and asked for the steering group to fine tune it as it was done quickly in thwe lunch break. I spoke to Tami afterwards about an LGBT one and she will raise on it the steering group .

Oh and of course there was the catching up with people and putting some faces to bloggers . I met the infamous Andrew Coates who comments on UKLN ,Dave's site and lurks here I found out. We had a chat about the left over lunch and I introduced him to one of his sparring partners who he had never met, one Tony Greenstein.They looked at each other quite warily but then seemed to get on quite well :-)Both quite pleasant in real life I might add!

And quite unlike me I stayed for one drink afterwards and headed off home .

Hopi v LRC cricket fundraiser this weekend

Yep, its that time of year again, the second annual Hopi v LRC cricket match. Now cricket bores me , sorry, but I still found it a fun day out. That may have been of course because Mark F made sure there was Jack Daniels available in the bar . Even with the rain , it was fun though and all in a good cause :

Sunday 29th August 2010
12:00pm to 5:00pm

From 12 noon in Victoria Park, Hackney, E9

The second annual solidarity cricket match between Hands Off the People of Iran (Hopi) and the Labour Representation Committee (LRC). The match is to raise money for Workers’ Fund Iran – a charity that is dedicated to raising much-needed funds for the inspiring struggles of the Iranian working class. These struggles have increased enormously in the recent period and been led by numerous sections of the workforce – from car workers to bus drivers, sugar cane workers to construction workers.

Last year we raised £1,500 and we are confident that we can get close to £2,000 this time around. These funds can certainly not match the funds raised for ‘regime change from above’ by the US and its allies, but they are absolutely crucial to our brothers and sisters in Iran and of great symbolic importance: their fight is our fight.

We have stepped up the plans for this year and are looking forward to more numbers, more fun and more funds being raised. But to take these steps forward we need your help! Can you:

• Play? Both male and female welcome players welcome so get in touch!
• Get your union branch/campaign/organisation to pass the draft motion (overleaf)?
• Help out on the day?
• Organise a stall for your union/campaign/organisation on the day?
• Provide a donation to help cover some of the costs we will incur during the day?
• Help to publicise the event amongst friends and on the internet or send a message of support for us to put up on our blog?

For more details see http://hopivslrc2010.wordpress.com/

Quick catch up on Compass and Hopi

I'm not at my laptop for a few days, so just a quick post. I went to Compass on Saturday and popped into the Hopi social. Its the sort of opposite of having a shower when feeling a bit grubby, after a day with clean cut Compassites I needed a night in the pub with stroppy lefties . Oh and gossip of course. Now what was that... something about popular fronts, TWags and initiation rites into the CPGB involving chocolate digestives ...

I wanted to do a report back but don't have time today. I'll do one, though a bit out of date by then, on Thursday. Meanwhile check out two posts, one a report and another looking wider at social democracy.

Meanwhile Jim has a good report of the Hopi weekend . I would have liked to have attended but due to a clash and having to get home on the Sunday I couldn't.
Jim highlights the nature of the debate :

One welcome element of the school was the utter civility and open mindedness of debate. I know this is not necessarily prized as a virtue among much of the left but for me I find it very helpful if I'm to be involved in anything. Despite the fact that there were some quite pronounced political disagreements among the participants the debate was always conducted in a thoughtful and respectful manner, and never along party lines or for point scoring. It's almost as if participants were listening and engaging with what each other had to say - unheard of!

That was very much my impression when I attended their event last year.

Check out the rest of at Jim's blog.

Pic Nothing to do with the post .

Hands Off The People Of Iran Weekend School

Info on the weekend :

On Saturday-Sunday, 14-15th June 2008 the Campaign Hands Off the People of Iran will hold a weekend school, in University of London Union, Malet Street to discuss issues regarding the threat of war, sanctions and various aspects of the opposition to the the rule of the theocracy, inside Iran.

The final timetable for the HOPI weekend school is now up. Also note that there will be a social event on Saturday evening just around the corner from the Smugglers Tavern, Warren Street, W1T 5ND.

The organisers hope the two day event will be informative and there will be plenty of time for debate.

Saturday 14th June 2008

11.00-11.10
Introduction: The threat of war
Mark Fischer, Hopi chair and Communist Party of Great Britain

11.10-12.20
The 1979 revolution and its aftermath
Torab Saleth, Workers Left Unity Iran

12:20-12:35
Message from Iranian students in Tehran

12.35-13.30
Lunch Break

13:30 - 15:30
The working class movements and their response to the economic crisis in Iran
David Mather
Amir Javaheri Langaroudi

15.30-15.45
speaker from inside Iran- Recent workers struggles in Iran

15.45-16.00
Coffee Break

16:00-18:00
War, human rights and ‘humanitarian interventions’
Prof Bill Bowring, author and lecturer at School of Law, Birkbeck College London
Mike Macnair, lecturer in law at Oxford University and CPGB

18.30 onwards: Social at the Smugglers Tavern, 28 Warren Street, W1T 5ND

Sunday 15th June 2008

11.00-11.15
message from women activists inside Iran

11.15-12.30
Sanctions
Christine Cooper

12.30-13.30
Lunch Break

13.30-14.00
John McDonnell (MP)

14.30-15.45
Iran, Israel and the Middle East and the nuclear question
Moshe Machover

15.45-16.00
Coffee Break

16:00-17:00
Can imperialism liberate women?
Azar Majedi, Hopi steering committee

17:00 - 18:00
Iran's national minorities- Baluchistan
Rahim Bandoui

Hopi blog on Iran

Hopi have set up a blog covering events in Iran.

Check it out here.

Hopi v LRC cricket and social fundraisers 1st August

Had a great time yesterday. I'll post on this more tomorrow when others have and I can link to pics , reports and how much raised.

Hopi won.

More later...

Dates for your diary

A bit of a round up of events coming up.

For An End to Immigration Detention

Saturday 21st March 2009 Gather 11.30am at Bedford Town Centre to march from Bedford to Yarl’s Wood Detention Centre, to demonstrate between 12.30 and 2pm.

End indefinite immigration detention of women, men and children:
About 25,000 people - including 2,000 children - accused of no crime, are detained indefinitely each year at great human cost and great expense to tax-payers. All detention centres are operated for profit. Many of the people detained are victims of rape and other torture whose trauma is exacerbated by being detained.

An end to medical abuses and the detention of torture survivors including victims of rape: People with severe mental and physical health problems and disabilities are routinely detained, some for months or even years. Around 70% of women in detention are rape survivors. Detainees are frequently denied access to adequate medical care.

An end the detention of children and families:
Children, pregnant women and families are detained indefinitely in Yarl’s Wood removal centre and elsewhere. Some young mothers are separated from newborn babies to be placed in detention, causing permanent damage to both parents and children.

Details at No Borders website.

HOPI (Manchester ) We Stand with the Iranian Students
Against war, militarism, sanctions and repression

25 March 2009
13:00 - 15:00
University of Manchester Students' Union Oxford Road

Manchester HOPI along with our friends in Manchester's Iranian community are calling a day of action on the 25 March at the University of Manchester Students' Union (UMSU) starting at 1pm. We are calling this demonstration in solidarity with members of the Students for Freedom and Equality group, who have been arrested and tortured by the Iranian regime for standing up against imperialism, militarism, homophobia, patriarchy and state repression.

The students who have been arrested are Amirhosein Mohammadifar, Mohammad Poorabdollah, Sanaz Allahyari, Alireza Davoudi, Bahman Khodadad, Hosein Sarshoomi and Arsalan Sadeghi. They were arrested under the guise of presenting a threat to national security. The regime uses the threat of war and further sanctions as an excuse to put down student and worker insurgency. Students in Iran have been at the forefront of the fight for democracy and liberation in Iran, linking up with the workers', women's and national movements in the process.

We will be holding a demonstration outside of the students union and collecting letters to be sent to the Iranian Embassy calling for our comrades immediate release. We will also be collecting signatures for a petition against sanctions to be sent to the Foreign Office.

Details on Facebook.

Zionism - origins and consequences
a socialist historical view

01 April 2009
19:00 - 22:00
Indian YMCA
Fitzroy Square,
London


Zionism, as manifested in the State of Israel, is in the news, yet often misunderstood as both opponents and supporters often blur distinctions between 'Zionists', 'Israelis' and 'Jews'.
We shall look at how the political Zionist movement arose, and how it has changed, as well as its consequences for both Palestinians and Jews. We shall also consider our attitude as socialists.
CHARLIE POTTINS is a national committee member of the Jewish Socialists' Group who writes for Jewish Socialist magazine.
In his youth Charlie was a member of the Labour-Zionist youth movement Habonim.
This meeting is organised by the Socialist History Society together with the Jewish Socialists' Group.

Details on Facebook.

Hopi weekend school

I wasn't able to make the weekend school, but I notice on the Hopi website there is a clip of John McDonnell speaking. It looks like his full speech and more clips will be put up soon.


The left needs to make more use of video and audio clips , as Mod often tells us! He is right though, not everyone can make events for all sorts of reasons and we need to be creative about ensuring the widest possible audience.

Cross post from Hopi - Regime threatens mass murder whilst left activists are arrested

From Hopi

We will fight until all of our classmates, comrades and friends are released. we wont let the Islamic republic take the revenge of its inevitable collapse on activists.

Below is a brief report of the moves the regime has been taking against known leftwing activists and the threats that leading officialis have been giving on state television. This report was sent to us by Anahita Hosseini of the ‘Independent Leftist Students’ who represent an anti-imperialist socialist tendency within the student movement in Iran

After the mass protests of Sunday December 17 the regime is showing its fear of people uprising by going to well known activists homes one by one and arresting them. This morning armed plain cloths forces went to Mahin Fahimis home who is a member of the organization of: mothers for peace and arrested her and her son Omid Montazeri who is a known leftist student activist. Omid is Hamid Montazeriz son a known communist activist who was executed by the regime during the mass murders of the leftists and Mujahadeen in prison in 1988.

Ardavan Tarakameh another leftist student activist who was staying in Omids home this morning was arrested, afterwards the plain cloths forces went to Ardavan’s parents home and searched it all and took some books and notes, and told his mother she is not allowed to ask any questions about what they are doing or where her son is. Zohreh Takaboni one of the mothers for peace whose husband was also executed as a leftist in 1988 has also been arrested.

The regime has started a new scenario since this morning on all of their TV channels they are talking about what happened in the 80s they are talking about the leftist opposition of Iran in those days and how the regime killed them! because of their activities, they are frankly threatening people that they are not afraid of repeating the history.

After yesterdays uprising it became more obvious that no one is of the illusion of re-running the elections. The slogans are aimed at the regime and Khamenei himself, radicalization of the movement has made the regime fearful of the effect of the lefftist and the other radical activists on the current uprising. They are threatening to bring back the black and the bloody decade of 80’s in which they mass murdered thousands of the bravest, purest and the true believers of freedom and equality especially in 1988 when they executed thousands (possibly 30 thousand) leftists and Mujahadeen and buried them in the mass graves. Now they are threatening their children and all the other activists and all people who are yelling their anger against them, in their official news today they said: the rebels have crossed the red lines by having slogans against Khamenei and they will all pay back for it. what is obvious is that they will not be able to repeat the bloody years of 80s because they cant mass murder a nation. But we should take the threat serious on the level that we know this regime has nothing to lose and before its final collapse they may do anything for revenge. They may try to limit the number of activists against them, the threats they have started against people is important on these levels, and it is our responsibility to fight until the release of each and every political prisoner in Iran alongside supporting the peoples uprising. Underestimating the threats of the dictator regime in taking revenge on the protesters can end in a catastrophe.

We will fight until all of our classmates, comrades and friends are released. We wont let the Islamic Republic take the revenge of its inevitable collapse on activists.

Unity – Struggle – Victory

Cross post from Hopi - 27 December: Iran’s bloody Sunday

Cross posted from Hopi :

December 27 was the bloodiest and most violent convulsion in Iran since the June elections. Millions of ordinary Iranians came out onto the streets to use the Ashura ceremonies and mourning as a focal point of opposition protests. In every part of Iran security forces backed up by Basij militia and the revolutionary guard (Pasdaran) resorted to ever intensifying violence as swarms of protestors over-ran state-repressive forces. It is unclear how many have been killed and arrested at this time, the regime say that only 4 have been killed, whilst student websites and news feeds from Iran put the number around 15. ‘Reformist’ leader Mir-Hossein Mousavi’s nephew is among the dead. The official reason for these deaths have been accidents and murder by ‘uknown assailants’. The regime has admitted to arresting over 300 protestors yesterday, this number will undoubtedly be much greater.

Clashes took place in Shiraz, Isfahan, Ardebil, Arababad, Mashhad. Whilst Marshal Law was declared in Najaf-Abad, at least four have been killed in the city of Tabriz and the house of recently deceased Ayatollah Montazeri was the scene of heavy fighting in Qom.

Protests began in the morning around 10 am with heavy security presence on major streets, squares and transport links. In Tehran the supreme leader’s residence was surrounded by massed ranks of Pasdaran and police. Throughout the day chants against Khamanei, such as ‘this month is a month of blood!- Khamanei will be toppled’. A clear indication of how far the protest movement has come since June, not only is the regime fearful of a re-run of the election, but are now considerably worried that a revolution is underway. In Tehran clashes erupted at many religious sites as soon as people started to gather for the planned opposition protests. The fighting was intense, with security forces taking several defeats as demonstrators burnt police vehicles, stations, Basij posts and erected barricades. In a couple of instances police and Basij were arrested and detained by the people and three police stations in Tehran were briefly occupied by protestors.. Demonstrators also attacked the Saderat Bank in central Tehran, setting it on fire.

As the day wore on the security forces began to crack, the first division of the special forces refused orders to shoot protestors. There are many pictures and videos that show police retreating or being beaten back by protestors (some are in this report). There is also unconfirmed statements from sections of the army declaring that they will not be used to put down popular unrest. During the evening clashes erupted outside the IRIB headquarters with security forces firing tear gas and bullets into the crowds who responded with rocks and burning barricades. Later on there was fighting in and around Hospitals in central Tehran.

Following the protests several aides to opposition leaders have been arrested whilst injured protestors have been interviewed, beaten and arrested whilst in hospital, the many injured have had to endure interrogation with painful injuries. In response to this it has been reported that medical staff have been patching people up instead of admitting them to the already overcrowded wards. In many parts of Tehran residents opened their doors to the injured and exhausted demonstrators.

The Ashura protests saw a qualitative change in the protests, the people of Iran attacked and won street battles in Tehran, attacked a set fire to police stations and security forces vehicles, demonstrators arrested and detained many riot police and Basij throughout the day. Possibly more importantly the regime has undermined its own religious credibility by making martyrs on Ashura day. Neither side of the regime can now back down, and through this split the mass movement is breaking down the Islamic Republic. Many calls have come not just for the end of Khamanei’s rule, or Ahmadinejad’s government but for the end of the Islamic Republic itself. On the streets protestors have begun chanting ‘Independence, freedom, Iranian Republic’, a slogan which has been condemned by ‘reformist’ leader Mousavi as too radical. The Ashura protests have further underlined that the Islamic Republic is facing the greatest existential threat since its inception and the Iraq-Iran war.

Below are some videos of the protests: