People's Democracy

THE South African Communist Party (SACP) is shocked at the attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York. We condemn the use of violence against ordinary civilians particularly in soft targets such as public buildings. Such violence can never be acceptable or justified.

We endorse the sentiment expressed by the Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, that this tragedy calls for cool and calm minds in working hard to find and bring the perpetrators to book. Therefore we caution against reprisals from the US government based on stereotype and anger. Such reprisals are most likely to affect ordinary and innocent civilians in other countries. Fanning chauvinistic anti-Arab, Islamo-phobic sentiments or stirring up mass hysteria around the call for revenge will be absolutely counter-productive.

Those responsible for terrorism attacks must be brought to book. There is, however a danger that the US administration will take advantage of this tragedy to strengthen forces of repression and international military aggression. If, indeed, the US administration is right to characterise the attacks as being not just against US, but against human civilization, then all people of the world who espouse democracy and human solidarity should have a say in the appropriate response.

We call on all progressives in the US to use this tragedy to open a rational, intelligent and introspective debate on the role and responsibility of the US and its people in the world in the struggle to ensure peace, development and a more equitable world. It is in the self interests of the majority of the people of America, and all humanity that this happens.

IN reaffirming its c1ear-out condemnation of tuesday’s terrorist attack, in the United States and renewing its feelings of respect for the pain and mourning of the families of the victims and of the American people, the PCP considers it its duty, to emphatically draw attention to the obvious looming dangers of a worsening of international tension and of the world situation.

In effect, the statements by President Bush and other members of his administration, indicate the clear intention of under the pretext of fighting terrorism - which in some cases is led by former US allies and stooges - stepping up and heightening arbitrary and aggressive policies in international relations which are hostile to the rights of peoples and the sovereignty of nations, which violate the United Nations’ Charter and International Law, are based on a permanent resort to force on financial domination, on an unjust world economic order and are geared towards a new arms race.

Such acts of terrorism serves precisely as a pretext for the US Administration to discredit and diminish support for the just struggles of peoples, to cover up the long list of crimes and aggressions committed by the USA and its allies in actions which are an affront to the UN charter (recall the many thousands of deaths from the attacks against Iraq, Yugoslavia, the Palestinian people), to legitimize the role of the United States as masters and policemen of the World.

THE Government of the Republic of Cuba has received with grief and sadness the news of violent surprise attacks which took place, this morning, at civilian and official facilities in New York City and Washington DC, and which have caused many casualties.

The position of Cuba against all kind of terrorist actions is well known. We cannot forget that for over 40 years our people has been victim of such actions, promoted from the territory of the United States itself. Due to historical reasons, as well as ethical principles, the Government of our country fully rejects and condemns the attacks committed against the above mentioned facilities, and expresses its sincerest condolences to the American people for the distressing and unjustifiable loss of human lives caused by such acts.

In this bitter hour, our people is in solidarity with the American people, and expresses its absolute willingness to co-operate, to the extent of its modest resources, with American health and humanitarian institutions in taking care of, and rehabilitate the victims of today’s events.

(Havana, September 11^th 2001)

JAPANESE Communist Party condemns the series of terrorist attacks in the U.S. as these are brutal acts of terror without precedent. Whatever reasons and background the terror may be involved, such indiscriminate killing of people is a crime against humanity which is absolutely unjustifiable.

The terrorist attack was an attack not only on the US but also the international community as a whole and the international rule of law and order.

The JCP believes that what is necessary now is not a rush to military retaliation, but bringing the perpetrators to justice with the United Nations at the center and based on UN Charter and international law. UN Security Council Resolution 1368, adopted unanimously on September 12 on this attack does not contain any expression permitting the use of force by any member country.

The JCP also proposes that the United Nations host as quickly as possible a special international meeting on this issue.