The Militant - October 29, 2001 -- Protests condemn assault on Afghanistan

Vol.65/No.41 October 29, 2001

Protests condemn assault on Afghanistan

BY JACK WILLEY
Working people and youth in many countries across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, have taken to the streets to denounce the U.S. and British bombings of Afghanistan and to express their solidarity with the Afghani people who are defending their country against the imperialist assault. On October 12, the first Friday since the bombing began, crowds of people spilled onto the streets of many countries after Muslim prayers.

In Indonesia, home to the world's largest Muslim population, protests in front of the U.S. embassy in the capital of Jakarta have become a daily occurrence. On October 12, 1,000 protesters burning U.S. and British flags and an effigy of U.S. president George Bush were attacked by police using water cannon.

In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 3,000 protesters were attacked by police with water cannon laced with a chemical that burns the eyes. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad supports the so-called "international antiterrorism coalition" patched together by Washington, but has opposed the military assault on Afghanistan.

Some 10,000 people rallied at the Jama Masjid mosque in New Delhi, India, and 4,000 more gathered in the eastern city of Calcutta last week. In the southern city of Hyderabad and in Srinagar, Kashmir, demonstrators defended themselves with stones against police attacks.

Thousands took to the streets in Tehran, the capital of Iran, with many holding signs reading, "Bush the killer" and "War is not the answer."

In Turkey, some 2,000 people demanded the government withdraw its support for the assault on Afghanistan. Hundreds massed in front of the military base of Incirlik in the south, a base for U.S. and British planes that bomb Iraq, with the same demands. Turkey is a member of NATO and the government has pledged troops to the imperialist war effort.

Nigeria's northern city of Kano was engulfed in two days of protests against the U.S.-led bombings. Demonstrators burned down the country home of Foreign Minister Sule Lamido, the government's point man in announcing the government's support for the U.S. and British war. Some 200 people were reported killed and the city is under a curfew enforced by soldiers with orders to shoot on sight anyone violating the order.

Many thousands of others carried out protest actions October 12, including in Manila, the Philippines; Colombo, Sri Lanka; Tripoli, Lebanon; and Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, thousands of people joined a funeral procession in the Gaza Strip October 15 to honor Haitham Abu Shamaleh, 19, who was shot two days earlier by Palestinian Authority police at a demonstration against the imperialist war and in solidarity with the Afghani people defending their country.

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