contd from page 16 This is a war of words. Even America needs to weigh many factors before translating its own words into deeds. 2. Striving for peace and reunification of Korea is another aspect of North Korea’ s policy. The North Korean President Kim Jong-un’ s Jan 1, 2018 call for dialogue with South Korea came only in this wake. He proposed that the North and South Korea should“ lower the military tensions on the Korean peninsula to create a peaceful environment” for it. He indicated North Korea’ s readiness to take part in the Olympic Games to be held in South Korea’ s city Pyeongchang in Feb 2018.
This call has touched the fine and deep – rooted feelings of unity and oneness among the Korean people as a whole. They have enthusiastically welcomed the call. Both governments have moved quickly, held discussions and took several other steps to enable the participation of North Korea’ s delegation in the Games. Both agreed to hold negotiations and military talks to resolve the problems and avoid accidental conflict. The North Korea has pledged to send a large delegation composed of athletes, high ranking officials, cheer squad, art performers as well as reporters and spectators to take part in the Games. Both the Governments agreed that the athletes of both countries would march together as one under one flag at the opening ceremony and other joint activity during the Olympic Games. The Korean people on both sides feel relieved of tensions and feelings of hostility and insecurity, at least temporarily. They are waiting to witness the Games with added enthusiasm.
This is a welcome development. But the main source of the problem remains. It lies not with North Korea, but the US imperialists. The policy of intervention and politics of imposing their domination over the Korean peninsula and Asia-Pacific region pursued by the US imperialists are at the root of the problem. All those who are for the restoration of peace in the Korean peninsula must raise their voice against it. � contd from page 20
Four decades back in 1979, the Shah’ s despotic regime backed by US was overthrown by the mass movement. The Iranian bourgeoisie came to power led by Ayatollaah Khomeini and Shia clergy standing on the crest of peoples upsurge. Many social concessions were given to the workers and toilers.
The reactionary nature of the Iranian ruling class revealed during the eight year long Iran-Iraq war. The Iraqi government attacked Iran with the support of US imperialism, while Iran precipitated it by insisting on Shattal-Arab settlement imposed on Iraq by the Shah regime with US support. Internally the war helped the ruling class to justify suppression of political opposition and dissipate mass upsurge and subordinate it to so-called‘ national unity’. The Iranian ruling elite
February- 2018 supported US invasion of Afghanistan and 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Yet the US imperialism continued its economic sanctions and military pressure. Rouhani was elected as president of Iran in 2014 with the support of Ayatollah Khomeini and long time advocate of rapprochement with US, Hashemi Rafsanjani. During the last three and a half years Rouhani government implemented privatisation and liberalisation following IMF pro-market prescription. It also amended the rules on petroleum extraction to woo the finance capital of oil giants. It implemented austerity measures dictated by IMF cutting social benefits to toiling masses.
As a result the US and European sanctions were suspended in 2016 as Iran agreed to dismantle part of its civil nuclear programme. The removal of sanction gave impetus to the Iranian economy, but the upper classes garnered most of the benefits, while the poor were made to pay for it.
It is clear that the burden of economic sanctions imposed on Iran by the imperialist powers fell on the Iranian workers, peasants and other toiling masses, while the upper classes made a fortune during this period. This is the reason for the rise of mass protests in Iran.
The people of Iran had to take their future into their hands. They were deceived by the ruling class for four decades. Similar mass protests are erupting in the Middle East. The peoples’ anger should not go waste. The workers and youth of Iran should fight and organise the people against imperialism and Iranian ruling classes.
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