From: "Andy" <as-AT-spelthorne.ac.uk> Subject: Re: Paradox or nonsense? Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2000 13:47:21 -0000 Don't know about paradox or nonsense - just old fashioned imperialist co-ercion I think. The Workers Solidarity Movement in Ireland have a good article around this subject, by Andrew Flood which he flagged up for me in another context. It's at: http://flag.blackened.net/revolt/ws99/imperialism58.html "Please note there is a major mistake at the end of the article where I say the WTO Seattle summit is in Toronto" >majority of intelligent people are understand, that the richest countries >of world (US of A etc.) are not so very succesful solutions, because they >are wasting too much resources of planet (that's apocalyptical), Undoubtedly true. The rich set, for example, targets for pollution [which the U$A doesn't even attempt to get close to achieving] and through the various global bodies and policies [WTO, IMF, WB, GATT etc etc] try to enforce these on the poor, thus preventing them setting up cheap industry [albeit polluting industry]. Some of the poorer nations are understandably annoyed about this, as worry about the future of the planet is a bit of a way in the distance as a life-threatening event when your infant mortality rates are sky high: For example under 5 mortality per 1000 live births in 1990 [the only figures I have to hand] were: Japan 6 Canada 9 UK 9 Aus 10 U$A 11 Cuba 14 China 42 Brazil 83 Indonesia 97 India 142 Angola 292 Afghanistan 292 Mozambique 297 [source - extremely dog-eared copy of New Internationalist June 1992] >but >majority of people at poorest countries, if they had a possibility, are >trying to emigrate... You know, where to. And they are absolutely right to try to emigrate. As a parent of two children, I would have felt it my duty to emigrate from say Afghanistan if my babies only had a 1 in 3 chance of making it beyond 5 years. Unfortunately while it is apparently a "good "thing for capital to travel freely across boundaries, the same doesn't apply to Labour and the EC is particularly culpable and nasty in its policies. >But they say, if the life style >of richest countries will not change, some kind of apocalypsis may arrive >faster, as we can think. What can help? I'm not sure about the apocalypse arriving faster - I think in East Africa with the amount of Aids/HIV it's pretty much arrived. I'm not sure the extent to which the apocalypse will visit the rich nations. The fortress Europe policy will be ruthlessly enforced. Over the last week or so here, we've had the plane hi-jacking by Afghans [whose mortality rates will have rocketed since the Taliban took control, denying medical treatment to women, not to mention preventing female doctors and nurses from working]. The good old British Press has mounted an immediate campaign of un-remitting hostility, labelling the hi-jackers as "economic refugees" and claiming that all thepassengers were accomplices - in fact half went back to Afghanistan. This label of "economic refugees" is particularly despicable and racist. Most soldiers in open warfare have a better than the 1 in 3 [and probably worsening] chance that the Afghan babies have. I noticed one of the families seeking refuge had the father ill with a kidney complaint - since the Taliban do not allow women to work or even go out unaccompanied by a male, that particular male was presumably doing what any human would do - trying to protect his wife and kids from a lifetime of begging and victimisation. Jack Straw the Home Secretary has promised to send the asylum seekers among the hi-jackers and passengers back/ or somewhere else. I think he has now realised that if he does send them back to almost certain death, it may be a vote loser, so pressure is being brought on poorer nations to take them [Pakistan, Uzbekhistan have been mentioned] surprise, surprise. As to what can help, pending the massive redistribution of wealth post-revolution, I find that calling all the comfortable, complacent, sanctimonious gits who slag off refugees "vile racists who by their complicity are no better than Hitler" certainly gives me enjoyment. Andy
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