People's Democracy

EDITORIAL 

Strengthen Anti-Imperialist Unity

THE Brazilian president, Mr Lula, who was the chief guest at India’s Republic Day celebrations, has made a strident appeal for strengthening the unity of important developing countries to counter the “unilateralist tendencies in world politics.” This assumes significance in the background of Mr Lula’s militant trade unionist past and leadership to the Workers Party of a socialist orientation in Brazil.

In the given world situation where US imperialism is seeking to reinforce its global hegemony by strengthening this unipolar world, it is only strategic cooperation and partnership between the developing countries that can resist imperialism, particularly its neo-colonial economic designs. The recent experience at the WTO meet at Cancun has shown that such a joint resistance can force imperialism on the back foot.

However, since Cancun, US imperialism is steadily abandoning multilateralism and seeking to impose bilateral trade agreements upon and between countries and regions. Recourse to such tactics is being undertaken because the US is sensing the potential of a collective resistance to its designs in a multilateral framework.

Mr Lula himself, along with the entire progressive anti-imperialist spectrum in Latin America, is in the midst of a grim battle against the US efforts to impose the FTTA (Free Trade Agreement of Americas) on the continent. Stating that trade has to be totally free, Mr Lula asserted that “we have to ensure that our goods are not victims of subsidies.” In a clear reference to the continuation of heavy subsidies by the US and European Union to their agriculture, Mr Lula stressed the need for India, Brazil and South Africa to jointly make the world understand that “dependence” is a thing of the past. Mr Lula went still further to demand that India, Brazil and South Africa be represented on the UN Security Council as permanent members.

As we pointed out earlier, such an entry into the Security Council without the right to veto, that is currently enjoyed by the five permanent members, is of little consequence. However, the need to democratise the United Nations system and strengthen the multilateral framework to make the UN bodies more independent and representative is a welcome task that these countries must have to undertake.

For us in India, while it was heartening to have the Brazilian president as the chief guest at our Republic Day, it would do the Vajpayee government well to seriously address the concerns that have been articulated. The Indian government under Mr Vajpayee’s stewardship has been busy seeking a collaborationist role and a junior partnership with the USA. This policy, completely in contradistinction to India’s time tested foreign policy orientation of anti-imperialism and non-alignment, is undermining India’s influence as a leader of the developing world. Mr Lula’s warning in this context must be taken note of: “No one that you speak with will respect you if you are submissive.”

Clearly, India’s future in the world lies in strengthening the unity of the developing world to resist imperialist hegemony in all its dimensions. This is both in the interests of India and the world. If this Vajpayee government continues to relent to the US imperialist designs, then it falls on the shoulders of the Indian people to replace this government with one that will further India’s potential in world politics as an uncompromising force against imperialist hegemony.