Asia Pacific Solidarity Conference: continuing the struggle
By Max Lane
More than anything else, the Asia Pacific Solidarity Conference in Sydney on April 10-13 was a conference of struggle.
International conferences of community organisations and NGOs are a regular part of international NGO life. But this gathering was different. While some NGOs attended, the bulk of the international representatives were from political movements or parties at the forefront of struggles against state power in their countries.
The political outlook and methods of struggle of the parties represented were very diverse.
Among the community, socialist and democratic parties and movements, some organisations acted as a revolutionary opposition, while others were focused on immediate or medium-term reforms, although usually these were radical reforms.
Some were focused on parliamentary struggle, others on mass struggle. Some emphasised educating Marxist cadre, others building electoral activism. Some, like those from French Polynesia, East Timor, West Papua and Bougainville, were mostly concerned with ending colonial domination.
Organisations in struggle
In such an ideologically diverse gathering, what accounted for the electric atmosphere of solidarity and unity? What made it so natural for several hundred people to stand and sing the "Internationale" in the final plenary?
First, whatever the different political outlooks and methods of struggle of the groups, they were all organisations at the forefront of the struggle to mobilise people in resistance against foreign occupation, dictatorial rule, savage neo-liberal offensives or attacks on their land rights.
There were no "armchair revolutionaries" posturing from the safety of irrelevance. The wide range of international guests were serious political people (see page 14).
The same applied to the Australian participants. Large numbers of activists from the Democratic Socialist Party (DSP), Resistance, Action in Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor (ASIET), Burma solidarity groups, anti-mining activists, International Women's Day activists and others helped shape the character of this meeting.
The DSP, the host organisation, had mobilised its cadre to organise the conference. Several DSP leaders spoke in plenary sessions, including national secretary John Percy and Peter Boyle, Pip Hinman, Lisa Macdonald and Max Lane. Other DSP, Resistance or ASIET activists from around the country led campaign workshops to brainstorm how to build more effective international solidarity campaigns.
One highlight was the showing of David Bradbury's new film Jabiluka to a packed hall of more than 800 people, followed by a panel of Aboriginal women speakers, all of whom are at the forefront of different struggles.
Val Power from the Kumarangk Coalition, which is fighting the construction of the Hindmarsh Island bridge in South Australia, Wadjulabinna from the Capricornia Lands Council and Jenny Munro from the Metropolitan Lands Council in Sydney together created an electric atmosphere of solidarity with Aborigines' struggle for native title. This was followed by another appeal for solidarity by a representative of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra.
Indonesia and East Timor
Another contribution to the atmosphere of struggle and solidarity was the presence of leaders of the People's Democratic Party of Indonesia (PRD), Fretilin of East Timor, the Free West Papua Movement and the Free Aceh Movement, which is still relatively unknown in Australia.
The impact of the PRD was evident. In her speech, veteran Sandinista leader, Dorotea Wilson, explained that her new knowledge of the struggles of the PRD, of people like Dita Sari and Budiman Sujatmiko, reminded her of the spirit which pervaded the Sandinista National Liberation Front during its revolutionary struggle against the Somoza dictatorship in Nicaragua.
The conference was also privileged to hear Dr Mari Alkatiri, vice-chief of Fretilin's external delegation, speaking alongside Sutarji and Edwin Gozal from the PRD about the struggle to overthrow Suharto and free East Timor.
Alkatiri also briefed people on the discussion in the East Timorese resistance on efforts to convene a special conference to decide on a kind of Magna Carta or Freedom Charter. This conference, scheduled for April in Lisbon, would include all political trends within the resistance and thus be a major unifying step.
In recognition of the contribution and courage of the East Timor political and military leader, Konis Santana, who died recently in the jungles of East Timor, the conference stood for a minute's silence. A large number of activists also attended special workshops on the history of Fretilin, East Timorese youth perspectives for self-determination in East Timor and international solidarity.
It was unfortunate that Mugianto, another leader of the PRD, was unable to attend the conference. The conference heard that Mugianto was captured by the military on March 13 in Jakarta, along with two other PRD leaders, Nezar Patria and Aan Rusdianto. The three were reportedly tortured for three days before being handed over to the police for "legal processing".
During the evening of political solidarity, a 15-minute interview with Mugianto, filmed some time before his arrest, was screened. In it he explained the history of his involvement in the political struggle in Indonesia, the goals of freedom and emancipation that inspire the PRD and the risks faced by activists.
ASIET launched the People's Power Fighting Fund to raise money for the ongoing work of the PRD underground. In the first 24 hours, participants had contributed some $1500.
Also launched was the first issue of Free Indonesia, the new English-language magazine of the international office of the PRD. The magazine, to be published four times a year, contains reports on political developments in Indonesia, documents and statements by the PRD and news of international solidarity for the PRD around the world (see article on page 17).
Expanding cooperation
Other plenary sessions and discussions which attracted much interest dealt with the left in south Asia, the Philippines and Japan.
The conference was unique in bringing together left parties from quite different backgrounds in south Asia. Representatives of the recently formed Labour Party of Pakistan, the New Socialist Party of Sri Lanka and the Communist Party of India (Marxist Leninist) all took part in a plenary session analysing the situation in their countries.
All three also gave country reports in different workshops. They announced that, for the first time ever, a regional gathering of the left from south Asia was being planned for later in the year (see page 15).
This initiative was facilitated by the discussions these three important parties were able to have at the conference. This was the first time representatives from the three parties had been able to meet.
There was also much interest in the plenary on the left in the Philippines. The largest party in the Philippines, the Communist Party (CPP), has been undergoing a process of fracturing and regroupment which is impacting on the whole of the Philippines left.
Representatives from several sections of the Filipino left presented analyses of the challenges they face. So strong was the interest that an additional workshop was added to allow further discussion.
The major groups represented were Sanlakas, BISIG and the socialist youth organisation Kamalayan. Sanlakas includes independent radical democrats, as well as leaders and activists from the CPP tradition, but primarily those rejecting the bureaucratic and guerillaist aspects of the CPP.
Both Sanlakas and Kamalayan are now recruiting activists who radicalised in the post-CPP era. BISIG developed independently of the CPP and was often a source of criticism of the CPP's bureaucratic and guerillaist aspects, while cooperating with it in a range of campaigns.
BISIG has managed to group together leaders and activists from Leninist, Christian socialist and left social democratic tendencies. BISIG has also provided the major force for the new left electoral party, Akbayan!. Ana Maria Nemenzo, vice-chairperson of Akbayan! and head of WomenHealth, also spoke at the plenary.
The international launch of the new Filipino left newspaper, Progresivo, also took place during the conference.
[Max Lane is the national coordinator of Action in Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor and is the Democratic Socialists' foreign affairs spokesperson.]