Anti-war campaigns
French people begin to organise against the war
François Duval (ROUGE)
After September 11th, all the French ruling class – including the so-called left wing government led by Jospin –decided to join the US war against Afghanistan. But public opinion is rather hesitant.
The LCR (Ligue Communiste Revolutionnaire, French section of the Fourth International) and other organisations opposing the war are not so isolated as during the Gulf War or, worse, during the bombing of Serbia. Of course, the main obstacle to building a mass movement on the issue is that the main parties of the left are linked to the policies of the government.
People expect very few reactions from the Socialist Party. But the main disappointment came from the Communist Party. Robert Hue, its main leader, was one of the first politicians to affirm its solidarity towards American people, but also towards "the leaders American people has chosen" – a declaration that many communist activists don’t aaccept.
Some weeks later, other opinions opposed to war were published in l’Humanité, the communist daily. In the governmental coalition, the Greens were the only party to condemn the bombing in Afghanistan as "an act of war against the Afghan people".
In that rather complicated background, several initiatives were taken. An emergency appeal to public opinion was issued both against terrorism and against US bombing. It was supported by a lot of associations against racism or against globalisation (like ATTAC), some trade unions and different movements for peace.
In early October, a demonstration was organised by youth movements that had been active in Genoa – mainly anti-globalisation movements, the JCR (a youth organisation linked to the LCR) and anarchist groups. It was not a huge demonstration – several hundred – but it can be regarded as a first and emergency riposte.
In mid-October, several demonstrations were organised by all the components of the emerging movement against the war in the main cities of France. More than 30.000 people participated.
Another difficulty in getting people involved is the feeling that the French government, unlike the British one, is not directly participating in the US manoeuvres. In addition to that is the fact that people have been shocked by the terrorist attack in New York, and that many people are very sensitive about the fate of the Afghan people, especially women, under the rule of the Taliban regime.
That implies that revolutionaries must make it clear that they have nothing to do with Islamic fanatics. Most of the organisations of the Left insist upon the fact that Bin Laden is a millionaire and a former agent of the CIA and that his attempt to present himself as the spokesman of the starving masses of the Third World is just a cheat.
Another appeal entitled "No to the imperial crusade" is now being signed by a great number of artists, writers, teachers and scientific research workers. Its main purpose is to counter the logic of war.
Another consequence of the "war against terrorism" is that new laws have been passed, giving more uncontrolled powers to the police and allowing the opening of cars, checking of personal identity and the searching of "suspects".
One trade union of judges and several associations for Human Rights have protested against these measures because they consider them as a dramatic restriction to individual freedom.
You don’t need to be very clever to understand that immigrants will be the main victims of such controls.
Now, the next "rendezvous" on the agenda will be on November 17th, where several demonstrations will take place throughout the country.