Workers' Liberty

The meeting last night was useful, though it had to be cut short because of a misunderstanding about the booking times. I think it's important that we do something on this, limited as it may be.

I think what came clearly out of the meeting is that it is not adequate, and indeed shameful, in the midst of a genocide to merely set out a critique of the UN, and make abstract calls that have little basis in reality for international workers solidarity. It is right, however to be clearer about the UN's history of intervention in Africa and elsewhere, and the viability and reality of what the UN, as it is, can and will do in Sudan. It was generally expressed that a copy and paste narrative about imperialist intervention isn't helpful.

Some of the main concrete calls on the UN internationally are for a no fly zone over Sudan, the cutting of fuel exports that are bankrolling the genocide, and an arms embargo - particularly aimed at stopping China which continues to undermine the Sudan divestment efforts. Also that Chad allows NGOs and the UN to be based on its territory to keep aid flowing in the event of a no-fly zone.

There is talk of 48,000 troops being agreed by the UN to bolster the 7,000 strong AU Mission in Sudan (AMIS). It would take more than double that, it seems, to secure Darfur with a land mass the size of France. And this in itself, doesn't ultimately eradicate the genocidal drive of the government, but might undercut the ability of the Sudanese government to perpetually postpone elections on the basis of a national emergency in Darfur, and compel them to implement the terms agreed under the comprehensive peace agreement, which as you can see are themselves troubling

http://www.iss.co.za/af/profiles/Sudan/darfur/cpaprov.htm

One contribution suggested arming the people in the refugee camps for self defence, who are being starved, and harassassed, raped and killed when they leave the camps in search of firewood and food. As socialists, the comrade argued, we should minimally support their right to self defence against massacre.

This was largely rejected by the speakers. There is one line on Darfur, which works on a humanitarian basis, that would reject the idea of arming the camps; at the moment the case can be made unequivocally that the people in camps are not in conflict, and are innocent civililans that are being brutalised and ethnically cleansed by the government - people distinct from the three rebel groups. Involving these people in armed struggle compromises the already limited humanitarian efforts.

Someone also pointed out that if you were going to arm anyone, you wouldn't arm the poeple in the camps, largely women, elderly and children but that you'd arm the newly united SLM and JEM for the same purpose ?

In the discussion following the meeting it does seem as though there is some basis in this last idea. The SPLA in the south got to a stage where the government had to negotiate, through gaining territorial control and popular support. I am not clear on any of this; if anyone can add some clarity here, that would be useful.

Clearly we, as a left, have a duty to go beyond humanitarian support.

One dimension to left inactivity on Sudan that I heard out last night is that the Sudanese government apprarently has strong links with the "resistance" in Iraq, which might go some way to explaining the silence on Sudan among the official stop the war movement. Much more has already been said about Somalia because it can be bent to their general Imperialism narrative, neglecting to deal with the politcal mess that Somalia is.

Please can someone explain what is different about calling upon our governments do things domestically - capitalist and imperialist as they are - and calling upon the UN to act on the demands above. We are able to make demands of government in our interests, while maintaining clarity about what the governement is, and what alternative we are building. We can make solidarity with what progressive forces there are in Sudan surely, while acknowledging that the demolition of the trade union movement in Sudan means that we have little other choice than making a call, with qualifications, for the UN to act?

I don't see how doing nothing builds the forces of the international independent working class.

A few ideas of what we might do, limited as we are in our resources and activists:

1. We should discuss with the contacts we have made though calling last night's meeting (including members of the Sudan CP here) and among ourselves, a coherent plan of solidarity action. A motion should be put to the NC on the 25th Feb.

2. To schedule and build for fringe meetings on Sudan throughout the upcoming union conference season and try and get guest speaker slots during conference time. If it's not too late we should submit motions and amendments.

3. Put together an extended debate in the paper in April and promote the global day of action on the 29th of the month.

4. Support and promote campaigns in solidarity with Sudanese asylum seekers here in the UK who are still being deported to Khartoum! Raise this issue as part of our general campaign against immigration controls