AIPSO Conference Resolves to Strengthen the Peace Movement
R Arun Kumar
THE national conference of All India Peace and Solidarity Organisation (AIPSO) held on March 4-5, 2023 in Chandigarh, resolved to strengthen the anti-imperialist, peace movement in our country. The Punjab state committee of the AIPSO hosted the conference in which nearly 270 delegates from 21 states participated. The executive secretary of World Peace Council (WPC), Iraklis Tsavdaridis, Victor Gaute, vice president of the Cuban Institute for Friendship with People (ICAP), Tran Doc Loi, senior vice president of the Vietnamese Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO), Rabindra Adhikari, general secretary of the Nepalese Peace Council, Mozaffar Hossain Paltu, chairman of Bangladesh Peace Council and Buddhika P from Sri Lanka represented the various fraternal organisations that participated in the conference and greeted it with their solidarity messages. The conference was held under the theme, ‘In Defence of Constitutional Values, For World Peace and Anti-Imperialist Solidarity’.
Eminent lawyer and senior advocate in the Supreme Court of India, RS Cheema inaugurated the conference and urged the peace activists attending this conference to work towards attracting youth into the organisation. He recalled his younger days, the initial years after India won its independence, when the youth took an active interest in the peace movement. He stated that during those days, the legacy of our anti-colonial struggle was linked with the necessity for a peace movement and using popular songs, large sections of the society were mobilised. Speaking about today’s situation in our country, he noted the growing influence of the divisive tendencies in our society and called upon the AIPSO to work towards upholding the unity and integrity of our country. He lauded the AIPSO for choosing an apt and relevant theme for the conference and hoped that the discussions of the delegates would chalk out ways and means to realise the objectives as specified in the theme.
The main report about the current political situation and the threats to world peace and solidarity was introduced for discussion. The report noted how the covid pandemic was utilised by big corporates and developed countries to reap super-profits. Instead of ensuring that the entire world is immunised quickly in order to save everyone from the virus spread, the pharmaceutical giants ensured that vaccines are not available to the poor and under-developing countries in the name of protecting their patent rights. ‘Vaccine imperialism’ and ‘vaccine apartheid’ were nakedly visible during this period.
The report also noted how inequalities are growing in the world, along with poverty, hunger, malnutrition, unemployment and child labour. The discontent that these deprivations are causing among the people are sought to be used by the divisive forces who are spreading hatred and intolerance. Imperialism is actively promoting such divisive tendencies to break people’s unity and the fight for their rights. In this situation building solidarity among people, cutting across religious, racial and caste lines becomes very important.
The situation in Palestine, the report observed, is deteriorating quite fast, particularly after the formation of the new extreme right-wing government led by Benjamin Netanyahu. Daily attacks are carried out on Palestinians and they are forcefully evicted from their homes. Arab citizens in Israel are treated as second-class citizens. Even the display of Palestinian flag is considered as an act of terrorism. With the open backing of US, the Israeli State is forcefully occupying West Bank of Palestine. This is apart from the regular missile attacks carried on the Gaza Strip. In this scenario, the report called upon all the delegates to immediately organise programmes in solidarity with Palestine and in defence of the rights of the Palestinians, who are demanding their right to return to their homeland, comprising of pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as the capital. Accordingly the conference also adopted a separate resolution in solidarity with Palestine.
The report also noted the US imperialist attempts to strangulate and asphyxiate Cuba by tightening the economic blockade, which is now more than 62 years old. The 243 measures enacted by Trump administration, together with wrongfully naming Cuba as a State sponsoring terrorism are creating immense difficulties to Cuba. Instead of rescinding these measures, the Biden administration has recently ratified these measures, showing that there is not much difference between the Republican and Democratic parties of the US, when it comes to their attitude towards Cuba. The conference also adopted a resolution expressing its solidarity with Cuba and the people of Cuba who are heroically resisting imperialism and its efforts to strangulate and subjugate Cuba.
The report also noted the effects of war in Ukraine, which is actively supported by the NATO forces. It demanded an immediate end to the war, disbandment of military groupings like NATO, AUKUS, QUAD, etc., and the complete elimination of all weapons of mass destruction, including the nuclear weapons.
Detailing the situation in our country, the report noted the changes that had come into our foreign policy, particularly after the present BJP government had come to power. Instead of standing with the Palestinians, the present government is openly siding with Israel. On many issues, the stand of the present government is proving to be in the interests of the US and its imperialist designs. Joining the I2U2 grouping (India, Israel, UAE, US) is one such example. Similarly due to its close proximity with the US, the government of India is not working to build good relations with our neighbours. The conference in a resolution demanded the government to rework its policy and ensure that we have good relations with all our neighbouring countries.
The report also noted with growing concern the spread of hatred and intolerance within our country. It stressed on the importance to build bonds of friendship and solidarity with people of different religions, castes, languages and ethnicity in our country. The topmost priority is to protect our unity and diversity. The peace and solidarity movement should also confront the growth of communal forces and organise struggles against them ideologically, politically, culturally and socially. For this purpose it resolved to observe the 75th anniversary of the martyrdom of Mahatma Gandhi to spread the message of unity. Various programmes will be conducted across the country.
Another report talking about the organisational issues noted the gradual spread of the AIPSO in various states and the increase in membership. But it also observed that efforts should be redoubled to attract youth and women in much higher numbers. The challenge to transform the peace movement to a popular and mass movement involving the poorest sections of the society was earnestly debated in the conference. Many innovative suggestions came from the floor of the conference, which the newly elected leadership promised to consider.
33 representatives from the states participated in the discussion on the reports introduced in the conference. Both the reports and resolutions were adopted unanimously after accepting certain suggestions made by the delegates. The conference also unanimously adopted the Chandigarh Declaration.
The Punjab unit of the AIPSO orgainsed a seminar on Punjab: Past, Present and Future, during the conference. The speakers gave valuable insights into the history of Punjab, tracing the genesis of present day. The speakers pointed to the growing migration, depleting water tables, agrarian distress, lack of employment, drug abuse and the recent spurt of extremist elements once again in Punjab. They flagged these major concerns and urged the people of the entire country to stand with Punjab in order to defeat the divisive forces and also put the state back on the trail of peace and prosperity.
Various cultural performances were also organised showcasing the rich culture of Punjab.
The conference ended with the election of new leadership – a 133 member general council, 86 member national executive and 31 office-bearers. Apart from these, an eleven member advisory council was also formed. A four-member presidium consisting of Pallab Sengupta, Nilotpal Basu, Rambabu Kumar and Sudhakar and two general secretaries, R Arun Kumar and Harchand Singh Bhatt were elected in the conference.
