Interview with Nickglais, Editor of Democracy and Class Struggle on Europe

Commemorating the 25th anniversary of the famous rally on July 10 th 1987 in Moga in Faridkot district in Punjab by the ‘Anti Communal and anti State terrorism Front’ by an Indian Comrade

Picture from Bleeding Punjab

July 10th 1987 is day when the democratic and revolutionary movement will remember for hundreds of years.

On this day the revolutionary masses of Punjab under the leadership of the 'Anti-Communal and anti-repression Front held a huge 10,000 strong rally thwarting the offensive of the Khalistani forces.

The people of Punjab assembled like a swarm of bees in this historic protest. It was the first major state wide protest against the enemies. 

We were reminded of the American fascist onslaught on the people of Vietnam. The heroic resistance of the masses also resembled this.

They fought valiantly against the iron feet of oppression the Khalistani movement marked a historic epic in the history of post-Independent India.

This reactionary communal fascist movement advocated the liberation of Sikhs and a separate state to be carved out for the Sikh people. Khalistani ideology advocated a separate theocratic state based on all the tenets of Sikhism.

Jagjit Singh Chauhan was the founder of this movement in the late 60's abroad. Natively from Punjab he had settled abroad, and in Britain formed Sikh religious groups advocating a new state for the Sikhs.

The Khalistani dictates included a ban on cigarettes, a ban on eating meat, a ban on drinking liquor, a ban on beauty parlours, prohibition against shaving and compulsion of women to wear Salwar Kameez. 

The people had to observe the Khalistani code in all ways of life. In Punjab the Akali Dal represented the religious Sikh politics through the Akali movement which had its origin in the Singh Sabha movement of the late 1920's which tried to communalise a secular anti-imperialist movement. To divert it, the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabhandak committee was formed with the blessings of the British.

The Akali movement professed the Anandpur Sahib resolution that converted several democratic issues into Sikh demands. Democratic demands of the people like the arrest of the Jodhpur detenues, the sharing of river with Haryana, the transfer of the capital from Chandigarh to Amritsar, and the punishing of criminals during the Delhi riots were taken up as religious issues.

However the fundamental difference of the Akali Dal from the Khalistanis was that they wanted to gain power within the Indian State through electoral means, while the Khalistanis advocated a total religious liberation struggle to de-throne the Indian State. 


There were forces within the Akali Dal which openly supported the Khalistani armed actions and election boycott, like the United Akali Dal faction led by Baba Joginder Singh. 


In the mid 80' Sant Longowal,the Akali Dal president was assassinated by Khalistanis for collaborating on a settlement with the ruling Congresss.

From the early 80's to the early part of the 90's the state of Punjab was ravaged by Khalistani terrorism. Communal fascists were a great threat to the people's democratic movement.

The Akali Dal represented the Sikh communalists while the Congress represented Hindu Communalism.Both parties used the communal terrorists aganist each other.

Indira Gandhi created and patronized Bhindranwale, a Sikh communal fanatic,

to electorally defeat the Akali Dal. Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale belonged to

a Sikh fundamentalist sect which opposed the electoral Akali Dal politics.

In the earlier phases the Akali Dal patronized the Sikh fundamentalist

forces, harbouring several terrorists in religious temples. However when the

contradiction between the Khalistani liberation and Akali Dal ideology

became acute, the Congress won Bhindranwale to their side to de-stabilise

the Akali Dal, the ruling party.

The Khalistani movement was an agent of the Indian state. Heavy state

terrorism took place in Punjab against the common people in the name of

combating the communal terrorists. Often a truckload of weaponry sent for

arming the Khalistani terrorist forces was allowed by the Police. The

situation was reminiscent of the Vietnam war and in no post-partition period

was such communal terror experienced. The rays of darkness had extinguished

the light from the land of Punjab.

The Khalistanis were armed to the core. Innocent Hindus were shot in buses

by bullets from AK-47 machine guns. Women were raped who disobeyed the Khalistani dictates, houses raised to the ground.

Villagers were forced to bow to Khalistani dictates at the butt of the gun.

Jounalist Lala Jagat Narain, of the Hindu Samachar was assassinated when he condemned

Bhindranwale.

In 1984 in June the Indian Army carried out Operation Bluestar to suppress

the Forces of Khalistani terrorists that had taken refuge in the Golden

Temple (a Sikh religious temple). It was one of the most repressive

anti-democratic acts that took place in the history of post-Independence

India. 100 innocent Sikhs were shot with their hands tied down behind their

backs. 


Various religious shrines were destroyed. Bhindranwale was killed.

At that time in Jodhpur in anxiety Sikhs belonging to the Army in sheer

desperation left Jodhpur to ensure their families were safe in the chaos

that was created. They were frightened that their families could be

attacked. These soldiers were arrested in the name of treason! In

retaliation in October 1984, Indira Gandhi was assasinated by 2 Sikh

fanatics. One of the people charged, Kehar Singh who was awarded the death

sentence, was innocent.

After Indira Gandh's assassination the worst massace ever in

post-independence India took place. 5000 Sikhs, were massacred by communal

forces led by Jagdish Tytler and L.K Bhagat. Innocent Sikhs were chopped or

burnt alive. Several Hindu families came to the rescue of Sikhs by

sheltering them and saving them from being trampled by the iron feet of

oppression. To this day the perpetrators of the massacre have not been

imprisoned.

In the later phase, through military combing operations in Operation

Woodrose, the police tortured several innocent families, under the pretext

that they had been harbouring terrorists. In villages in Punjab several

innocent Sikh people, mainly youth were killed in staged encounters. The

police falsely claimed that they were communal terrorists killed in

encounters.

Several Black laws were also proclaimed which were used as a tool to

suppress the secular democratic activity like workers strikes, etc. The

situation in Punjab was the equivalent of a ship trying to survive in a

storm. In 1985 an accord was made by Rajiv Gandhi representing the Centre

and Sant Longowal, the Sikh Akali leader, who wished for a non-violent

solution and a compromise with the Centre. (He represented Sikh communal

politics but through negotiation in contrast to the Khalistani militants.)

This was opposed by the United Akali Dal led by Baba Joginder Singh along

with the All India Sikh Students federation and the Damdami Taksal of

Bhindranwale. Shortly later Longowal was assassinated by Khalistani

terrorists with the blessings of the organizations just mentioned.

In 1987 the ruling Rajiv Gandhi goverment brought in President's Rule,

introducing the Terrorist and Disruptive Area Act to curb the Khalistani

terrorists. However, in contrast to what it meant to be doing, the same

government started dealing with Khalistani gangs. On February 20th 1987 a

head Sikh priest offered to act as a mediator between the Centre and the

Sikh militant organizations. Within minutes of this announcement, the

Khalistani liberation force accepted the Akal Takhts Directives and accepted

a ceasefire.

Soon after a hindu religious priest visited the Golden Temple on May 6-8 to

hold talks with the Sikh militant priest Darshan Singh Ragi. The State

police chief Ribiero visited Amritsar on May 6th, and the Ceentral Reserve

Police Force surrounding the Temple were withdrawn for 3 days. 

Well Known underground communal terrorists, such as Avatar Singh Brahma visited the

temple for negotiations. The Hindu priest explained that he was acting for

the Central Government. The withdrawal of the Central Reserve Police Force

for the first time since 1984 lent credibility to this. The Priest even

claimed that he had documents showing that all 5 Jathedars and Khalistani

gangs including the All India Sikh Students Federation factions and the

Khalistani Commando force had given their approval for, and participated in

tape recorded negotiations. The priest stated that Darshan Singh Ragi was

equally anxious to create an atmosphere of peace and tranquility in Punjab.

On May 9th 1987 the priest flew back to Delhi to inform the Prime Minister

of his talks.

On May 21st the Punjab Government announced the release of 100 out of 800

militants arrested on the pretext of good behaviour. This amply proved the

point that the Centre was simply playing games. The Government had no

intention of combating communal terrorism; instead it was biding for the

appropriate time to strike a deal with one or the other terrorist faction.

Ultimately what was at stake was only the question of allocation and sharing

of power. [Last few paragraphs taken from the democratic rights journal, 'In

Defence of Democratic Rights'.

.

Santa Barbara Patron Saint of Miners - Miners Song in Asturias - Solidarity to the end of time from Wales

The song

The deeply emotional lyrics and the sorrowful and heroic score, usually sung a cappella by a male choir, turned the song into a symbol of Asturian coal mining and of mining in general. 

Sometimes used as a working class anthem, the hymn was widely used during the Asturian miners uprising of 1934 and during the Spanish Civil War.

The lyrics (usually sung in Asturian, Spanish or a mixture between both languages) describe the painful returning home of a miner, covered in the blood of his fellow miners, who tells his wife (Maruxina) of a mining accident in the famous Asturian mine known as Pozu Maria Luisa (located in Ciañu, Langreo).

Coal mining, which is present in Asturias since the 18th century having a pivotal role in the historical economic activity of the region, is known as a very dangerous activity. Historically, hundreds of miners have died in the mines of Asturias and deadly mining accidents were sadly common in the miner population.

Santa Bárbara is nowadays considered to be an important piece of Asturian traditional music and is included prominently in the Asturian folk music repertoire. The song is also often used in funerals, tributes and memorials

Original Asturian version

Nel pozu María Luisa

Trailarai larai, trailarai

Nel pozu María Luisa

Trailarai larai, trailarai

Morrieron cuatro mineros

mirái, mirái Maruxina, mirái

mirái como vengo yo

Traigo la camisa roxa

Trailarai larai, trailarai

Traigo la camisa roxa

Trailarai larai, trailarai

De sangre d'un compañeru

Mirái, mirái Maruxina, mirái

mirái como vengo yo

Traigo la cabeza rota

Trailarai larai, trailarai

Traigo la cabeza rota

Trailarai larai, trailarai

Que me la rompió un barrenu

Mirái, mirái Maruxiña, mirái

mirái como vengo yo

Santa Bárbara bendita

Trailarai larai, trailarai

Santa Bárbara bendita

Trailarai larai, trailarai

patrona de los mineros

Mirái, mirái Maruxina, mirái

mirái como vengo yo

Patrona de los mineros

Mirái, mirái Maruxiña, mirái

mirái como vengo yo

[edit]English translation

In the María Luisa mine

Trailarai larai, trailarai

In the María Luisa mine

Trailarai larai, trailarai

Four miners have died

Look, look Maruxina, look

look how I'm coming home

My shirt has turned red

Trailarai larai, trailarai

My shirt has turned red

Trailarai larai, trailarai

Stained with the blood of a fellow miner

Look, look Maruxina, look

look how I'm coming home

My head has broken

Trailarai larai, trailarai

My head has broken

Trailarai larai, trailarai

It was broken in a blast

Look, look Maruxiña, look

look how I'm coming home

Blessed Saint Barbara,

Trailarai larai, trailarai

Blessed Saint Barbara

Trailarai larai, trailarai

Patron saint of the miners

Look, look Maruxina, look

look how I'm coming home

Patron saint of the miners

Look, look Maruxina, look

look how I'm coming home

Source; Wikipedia

The Importance of the Miners Strike in Spain explained

“We represent the last bastion of a very well organized working class,” said Lisardo Suarez, a miner for 18 years at Maria Luisa shaft in Ciano.

Others add that the miners have long been leaders of revolts.

“We have been the spearhead of the worker’s movement throughout the 20th century when some of the workers uprisings during the dictatorship were started by us,” Robles added.

In 1962, during Franco’s dictatorship, miners dared to go on a strike to claim more labour rights and better salaries. The protests spread throughout the country and received a lot of support abroad.

With the past in mind, miners say that the government is afraid their current protest

 “could act like gunpowder across the country, turning into a massive uprising by all the citizens in Spain and in Europe,” 

said Juan Carlos Liebana, Comisiones Obreras union representative for the mining sector.

See Also Segundo Menendez speech in London below

http://democracyandclasstruggle.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/segundo-menendez-collar-striking.html

Long Live The Struggle of the Spanish Miners - Long Live Solidarity between the Asturias and Wales

The first flag at the top is the flag of the Asturias and the flag on the bottom is the last flag of an Independent Wales - Long Live the Asturias - Long Live Wales

For Update on the Spanish Miners Struggle 

https://twitter.com/#!/search/%23ResistenciaMinera?q=%23ResistenciaMinera

See Also Colliers Crusade about South Wales Miners in Spain

http://democracyandclasstruggle.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/colliers-crusade-welsh-miners-and.html

The strike by 8,000 miners in the northern provinces of Asturias, León and Aragón, now more than 40 days old, indicates the broad opposition to the austerity measures imposed by the right-wing Popular Party (PP) government.

The strike erupted at the end of May when the government announced that it was imposing a 64 percent cut in subsidies to the coal industry, threatening 50,000 jobs in mining and related occupations. The PP was continuing the previous Socialist Workers Party (PSOE) government’s policy of ending the subsidies.

The PSOE had done so by collaborating with the unions, which had agreed to an end to the subsidies for 2018. But the PP’s decision to bring the plans forward provoked a backlash of an insurrectionary character amongst miners.

Revolutionary Street Art - Norway

Red Salute to Norwegian Comrades from Democracy and Class Struggle visit here : http://tjen-folket.no/Sentralt/view/10260

Please Listen to our Voice by Comrade Rishi Raj Baral of Next Front

We are Communists, we want to lead the people in overthrowing the enemy, and so we must keep our ranks in good order, we must march in step, our troops must be picked troops and our weapons good weapons. Without these conditions the enemy cannot be overthrown.

Mao Tse-tung 

Rectify the Party's Style of Work

The national convention of the revolutionary faction of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) was held on June 16-18, 2012. After the National Convention The Next Front had posted an article 'Now we have a Revolutionary Party'. Yes, forming the new party was the matter of great joy and enthusiasm for the revolutionary cadres. 


The main objective of the convention was to break the relation with those thugs, who were exercising the politics of national surrender and betraying the Nepalese revolution. It was the first step to move a head–a great task which we had done successfully.

Now it is a matter of deep concern that things are not going in the right direction. It will be hasty to come out in any negative conclusion. We know there are some complications and it is not easy to get rid of that four years parliamentary hangover.  But it is true– Morning shows the day. The orientation must be clear in ideological and organizational sphere. New party means real rupture with those revisionists in the ideological-organizational field, as well as in the style of work.  But we have not realized any newness in our working style.


Launch at Precedent Residence, regular meeting with Nepali Congress and CPN (UML)-the reactionary parties, are not the matter of significant for the revolutionaries. It seems that 'New leaders of New Party' have trapped in a tunnel and are not able to come out from there.

A dubious working style always creates tediousness. Stereo type of working style must be abandoned. As Comrade Mao says : The blunt knife draws no blood and the dull army does not win the war.  Party cadres are feeling monotones and the degree of dissatisfaction is growing day to day.


Those militant cadres who fought 10 years People's War and who played the vital role in two line struggle, are neglected and those who are close to 'A' 'B' ' C' are rewarded.  Leaders themselves are violating  the Party's Constitution. Controversial person has got space in the Central Committee in the name of Party unity. What a fun! 

The Party document passed by CC Meeting also has created some confusion. The document has mentioned Marxism-Leninism- Maoism as the guiding Principle.


But it is the matter to note that the document also has emphasized caste, gender, race and regional problems instead of class problem. It is the reality that some Maoist leaders are pleading caste, race, gender and regionalism than class outlook and class struggle. They plead 'identity politics' not Marxism. They enjoy in ethnicity, not in class struggle. In fact in the name of 'ethnic community and indigenous people' they are pleading Post-modernism not Maoism. 


We all know 'single identity politics' is the politics designed by INGOs, backed by imperialist powers. This is a vital problem that the Nepalese Maoist Movement is facing these days. 

The document has not mentioned clearly the party line for the current situation. Leaders are pleading 'Round Table Assembly', 'United Interim Government' and the 'New political way out'.  This is ambiguous and leaning to the parliamentary exercise.  CC meeting has violated the decision done by National Convention. In fact, our leaders have not unchained themselves from the working style of Prachanda. 


No matter Prachanda is a man of authoritarian attitude. But it is a matter of surprise that our 'new' leaders are following the same track. Only the Party's new name and changes in major posts was not the objective of the national convention.  The main objective was to form a Bolshevik type of Party based on Marxism-Leninism- Maoism–a party of revolutionary spirit in ideology and practice.

In fact, the leaders of the New Party have been trapped into the new type of eclecticism. It seems that new party has made its break with UCPN-(Maoist) only in words, not in practice.  Without any hesitation I would like to express my opinion that leaders of the CPN-Maoist are not competent to meet the spirit of revolutionary cadres. We want a new type of Party both in ideology and practice. We don't need the new edition of UCPN (Maoist). There must be clear cut vision, no eclecticism.

Leaders have called Party Congress on December, this year. How they work, let us wait and see till then. Now they are not in the mood to listen our voice and suggestions, because they are our 'great and top' leaders and we all know the 'great and top' leaders can do no wrong. They know each and every thing, they all are experienced and there is no need to listen the voice of the cadres.  And it is the fact that they are the production of the same schooling in which Prachanda was grown up. Rectification is needed. We urge our leaders to listen the voice of the grass root cadres. They are our blood and mind. 

Major parties of International Maoist Movement have not opened their lips. The party document is not available in English version yet. Recently CPI(M-L) NAXALBARI  has released a press statement concerning the newly formed communist Party of Nepal- Maoist. I think this is the first open and official response by any fraternal Party to the newly formed Maoist Party of Nepal.  

The statement has mentioned that– ''The formation of a new Maoist party has created serious problems for Indian expansionism and imperialism."  Yes it is true. But only a revolutionary party will be able to challenge the Indian expansionism and imperialists forces.  Only the clear communist outlook and a revolutionary mass line can solve the problems and lead to move ahead.  


A joint venture is necessary for this movement. 

The revolutionaries of South Asia must be united and have to reorganize Composa. We must be clear about the International Communist Movement and restructuring the new RIM. And we all know the role of CPI (Maoist) and RCP (America) will be decisive on this issue. 


Enthusiastically, we all are waiting for the comment of CPI (Maoist) and RCP (America) on the formation of CPN-Maoist.

Hail the formation of the new Maoist party in Nepal by CPI (ML) NAXALBARI!

Hail the formation of the new Maoist party in Nepal!

The formation of a new Maoist party by the revolutionary faction that broke away from the United Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) is a matter of great joy for the international communist movement and the peoples of the world.

In its message to the new party the Central Organising Committee of the CPI (M-L) NAXALBARI has saluted its formation and stated that 'This historic step accords to the revolutionary aspirations of the people of Nepal.

It is enthusing to all, throughout the world, who have watched with grave concern the Prachanda/Bhattrai attempts to liquidate the Nepalese revolution and enforce capitulationism.' After noting the National Conventions evaluation that 'The creation of People's Liberation Army, establishment of base areas and people's government, role played by workers, peasants, women, indigenous nationalities and Dalits; and the awareness developed in this whole process are some of the major achievements we have gained..'and its decision to 'move forward by standing upon this base.', the message goes on to say, 'This is decisive in turning away from the disastrous path followed by Prachanda and Bhattrai.

We wish you all success in this crucial task. No doubt, this depends on deepening the summation of the deviation while firmly and fully separating from the strategy and tactics it has used to derail the revolution.'

 The formation of a new Maoist party has created serious problems for Indian expansionism and imperialism. On the one hand it tries to downplay it as 'an insignificant splinter'.

On the other it steps up its overt and covert intervention in Nepal, including veiled threats held out by increasing its armed deployment along the border.

The response of the oppressed masses is exactly the opposite. They are gladdened by the bold step taken by the Maoists in Nepal and keenly look forward to their reopening the revolutionary road.

 Krantipriya Spokesperson CPI(M-L)NAXALBARI

 04-07-2012

RDF, India's statement on the recent massacre by CRPF in the village of Dandakaranya, Chattisgara, India

Rise!                         Resist!                    Liberate!

REVOLUTIONARY DEMOCRATIC FRONT (RDF)

Contact: revolutionarydemocracy@gmail.com

Press Release- 

2nd June 2012

Condemn the massacre of 20 adivasi villagers and their children in Dandakaranya by the mercenary forces of the fascist Indian state!

Expose the white lies of the killer gang of Chidambaram-Raman Singh portraying the massacred adivasis and their children as leaders and cadres of the CPI (Maoist)!

Rise up to oppose the genocide of Adivasis under Operation Green Hunt by the Indian state and its War on People!

CRPF brutality in Dandakaranya, Chhattisgara, India.

When the adivasi peasants of Sirkegudem, Kothagudem and Rajupenta – adjacent villages separated by not more than a kilometre in the Bijapur district of south Chhattisgarh – gathered in hundreds on the night of 28 June 2012 to plan the performance of the traditional festival Beej Pandum (seed festival), they least expected to be surrounded by six hundred armed forces personnel of the Indian state. At least 18 adivasis lost their lives in the cold-blooded massacre that followed. Two other villagers were likewise killed near Jagargunda village of Sukma district the same night, and predictably, were shown as casualties of an ‘encounter’ between the Maoists and the armed forces. As the testimonies of the eyewitnesses coming through the media, activists as well as the statements of the CPI (Maoist) now confirm, the killing of the adivasis was a heinous massacre committed by the Cobra battalion of the CRPF and the Chhattisgarh police under the command of top police officials including CRPF Director General Vijay Kumar and Chhattisgarh Inspector General of Police T G Longkumar. It is also clear that this massacre is a part of Indian state’s extermination campaign against the Maoist revolutionary movement and the adivasis of central and eastern India under the rubric of Operation Green Hunt that was  launched with a media blitzkrieg in September 2009.

The Electoral Victory of Political Islam in Egypt by Samir Amin

The Electoral Victory of Political Islam in Egypt by Samir Amin | Monthly Review | 30 June 2012

 The electoral victory of the Muslim Brotherhood and of the Salafists in Egypt (January 2012) is hardly surprising. The decline brought about by the current globalization of capitalism has produced an extraordinary increase in the so-called “informal” activities that provide the livelihoods of more than half of the Egyptian population (statistics give a figure of 60%).

And the Muslim Brotherhood is very well placed to take advantage of this decline and perpetuate its reproduction. Their simplistic ideology confers legitimacy on a miserable market/bazaar economy that is completely antithetical to the requirements of any development worthy of the name.

The fabulous financial means provided to the Muslim Brotherhood (by the Gulf states) allows them to translate this ideology into efficient action: financial aid to the informal economy, charitable services (medical dispensaries etc.). In this way the Brotherhood establishes itself at the heart of society and induces its dependency.

It has never been the intention of the Gulf countries to support the development of Arab countries, for example through industrial investment. They support a form of “lumpen development” — to use the term originally coined by André Gunder Frank — that imprisons the societies concerned in a spiral of pauperization and exclusion, which in turn reinforces the stranglehold of reactionary political Islam on society.

This would not have succeeded so easily if it had not been in perfect accord with the objectives of the Gulf states, Washington, and Israel. The three close allies share the same concern: to foil the recovery of Egypt. A strong, upright Egypt would mean the end of the triple hegemony of the Gulf (submission to the discourse of Islamization of society), the United States (a vassalized and pauperized Egypt remains under its direct influence), and Israel (a powerless Egypt does not intervene in Palestine). The rallying of regimes to neo-liberalism and to submission to Washington was sudden and total in Egypt under Sadat, and more gradual and moderate in Algeria and Syria.

The Muslim Brotherhood — which is part of the power system — should not be considered merely as an “Islamic party,” but first and foremost as an ultra reactionary party that is, moreover, Islamist. Reactionary not only concerning what are known as “social issues” (the veil, sharia, anti-Coptic discrimination), but also, and to the same degree, reactionary in the fundamental areas of economic and social life: the Brotherhood is against strikes, workers’ demands, independent workers’ unions, the movement of resistance against the expropriation of farmers, etc.

The planned failure of the “Egyptian revolution” would thus guarantee the continuation of the system that has been in place since Sadat, founded on the alliance of the army high command and political Islam. Admittedly, on the strength of its electoral victory the Brotherhood is now able to demand more power than it has thus far been granted by the military. However, revising the distribution of the benefits of this alliance in favor of the Brotherhood may prove difficult.

The first round of the presidential election on 24 May was organized in such a way as to achieve the objective pursued by the system in power and by Washington: to reinforce the alliance of the two pillars of the system — the army high command and the Muslim Brotherhood — and settle their disagreement (which of the two will be in the forefront). The two candidates “acceptable” in this sense were the only ones to receive adequate means to run their campaigns. Morsi (MB: 24%) and Chafiq (Army: 23%). The movement’s real candidate — H. Sabbahi — who did not receive the means normally granted to candidates, allegedly only got 21% of the vote (the figure is questionable).

At the end of protracted negotiations it was agreed that Morsi was the “winner” of the second round. The assembly, like the president, was elected thanks to a massive distribution of parcels (of meat, oil, and sugar) to those who voted for the Islamists. And yet, the “foreign observers” failed to observe a situation that is openly ridiculed in Egypt. The assembly’s dissolution was delayed by the army, which wanted to give the Brotherhood time to bring discredit upon itself by refusing to address social issues (employment, salaries, schools, and health!).

The system in place, “presided” over by Morsi, is the best guarantee that lumpen-development and the destruction of the institutions of the state, which are the objectives pursued by Washington, will continue. We will see how the revolutionary movement, which is still firmly committed to the fight for democracy, social progress, and national independence, will carry on after this electoral charade.

Samir Amin is a Marxist economist. Translation by Julia Monod (first published by Pambazuka News under a Creative Commons license).

Militainment - The Pentagons Grip on Hollywood - Counter Revolutionary Art in USA

The military entertainment complex is an old phenomenon that binds Hollywood with the US military. Known as militainment, it serves both parties well. Filmmakers get access to high tech weaponry - helicopters, jet planes and air craft carriers while the Pentagon gets free and positive publicity.

The latest offering to come from this relationship is Act of Valor and it takes the collaboration one step further. The producers get more than just equipment -- they have cast active-duty military personnel in the lead roles, prompting critics to say the lines have become so blurred that it is hard to see where Hollywood ends and Pentagon propaganda begins. .