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    © All Rights Reserved
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    54 views12 pages

    MIRZA, Bakar. The Modern Review.

    Uploaded by

    Fayga Marcielle Madeira de Oliveira
    MIRZA, Bakar. the Modern Review.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 12
    THE CONGRESS AGAINST IMPERIALISM and say ‘Face the facts’, treat China as you do Japan, get out of your entanglement of imposed treaties. Your Christmas Memoran- dum was good. Your Foreign Declaration on the 22nd of January was excellent. We admit you have the problem of the protec- tion of life still on your hands. Whenever you decided to send that much-advertised Defence Foree you began to play with fire. “That is the position the Labour Party occupies to-day, and it is only on these ines and with those’ considerations that we ean hope to solve the Chinese problem, and, a6 when the end has come, to be in a position of friendship with China so that China can help us with our trade of affairs, and we can help China with its political and moral ufairs.” ‘The world may rest assured that the Chinese Nation will not rest until her in- dependence and territorial aud administrative integrity shall become realities. She will not be satisfied with mere assurances in the form of high-sounding and pious declarations as the ‘powers have been doing since the beginning of this century. U.S.A, February 1927. THE CONGRESS AGAINST IMPERIALISM By BAKAR ALI MIRZA JHE first “International Congress of Oppressed. peoples of the World” met in Brassels, Belgium, from the 9th to the 16th February of ‘this year, with some 200 delegates representing over «billion subjected or enslaved peoples. The character of the Congress was unique ; for it was the first time in history that the representatives of the working class and of subject peoples assembled under the same roof to express the the message of the enslaved: “Brothers! Your suffering is my suffering. Let us unite, for we have nothing more to lose but our chains anda world to gain”. Yet, not only. was it a Congress in which the spirit of brotherhood and unity made itself felt, but it built a permanent organisation, a ‘League Against Colonial Oppression and’ Imperialism.” ‘And it could be called a Leaguo of Nations ina much truer sense than the one that deliberates on behalf of the Great Powers at Geneva. Considering the short time the Congress took for its preparations and the whole hearted response it met with from all parts of the world, we are struck by the intensity of unity that exists all the world over for the basic purpose of freedom, and we are left with no doubts about the urgent need or the future of the League. The Congress had boon called with the active support and sympathy of such personalities as Bertrand Russell, Professor Albert Einstein, Henri Barbusse, Romain Rolland, Mrs. Sun Yet Sen, and Mahatma Gandhi—to mention only a few of those whose intellectual integrity and honesty of humanitarian purpose is beyond question. One of the many maps that hung on the wy demonstrating the effects of Imperialism, shows India, and Indian mercenaries, as the centre for the subjection of Asia and Africa, his Because of its value to India and Indians, I shall quote only the message of Mahatma Gandhi, although it was but one of the many received. “Dear Friends, I thank rou very cordially for your’ invitation ‘fo. the Brassels’ Internati International 556 Congress arainst Colonial Oppression and Imperial- fam. Tregret that my work here in India pre- ‘vents my taking part in the Congress, T wish you, However, from the depths of my heart, every sucess in your deliberations.” ‘There were 174 mandated delegates, representing 31 different countries, and a number of interested guests, not mandated, present in the Congress. What this means eannot be expressed in figures alone, for most of these had come under great diffi- culties from vast distances. Many had come on money that had been collected from organisations and individuals. And there were still many other delegates who had informed the Congress they would be coming, but could not because of lack of funds or the refusal of passports. Bat despite this dele- gates came from Alrica and Mexico, Indo- nesia and Indo-China, Egypt and India, Korea and the Philippines, China and Persia, La Tsung Lin, Chinese !General, representing the Canton Army Algeris, Tunis, Morocco and Arabia, Besides, the workers’ organisations of Evgland, France, Germany, Belzivm, Holland, Czecho-slovakia, Austria, ‘the United States and Japan had THE MODERN REVIEW FOR MAY, 1927 their spokesmen, Among them were many members of Parliament of the various Euro- ‘AM. Baktsi, the Arabio delegate from Syria, pean countries, England alone having sent some -twenty delegates—from the British Labour Party, the Independent Labour Party, the London ‘Trade Union Council, and s0 on. China had sent thirty delegates, representing the Kuo Min Tang (the National People’s Party), the Canton Goverument, the Canton Army, various labour, students’, and wyomen’s organisations. India was represented Uy Mr, Jawaharlal Nebru, the official delegate of the Indian National Congress, and also dele- gates from the Hindustan Association of Central Europe, the Oxford Majlis, the Hidustan Gadar Party of America, as well ‘as journalists from the Association of Indian Journalists of Burope, “The Hindu” of Madras, “the Kesari”’ ol Poona, and the Indian’ Burean of the Independent Labour Party in London. The Indian Students’ Union of Edinburgh, the Indian Majlis of London, the Ceylon Trade Union Council, and two or three other Indian organisations THE CONGRESS AGAINST IMPERIALISM had appointed delegates to attend also, but for one reason or auother had been unable to send them. ‘The delegate from Ceylon had been refused a passport. There were, Jawaharlal Nehru, representative of the All-India National Congress among the delegates, representatives from 17 different trade union organisations, repre- senting over 7'/2 million organised workers, And if we should estimate the number ‘ef people represented by all the delegates, the number would amount to more than a Billion souls, The agenda of the Congress bad beon arranged under five different headings, Space does not permit a full survey of all of them or of the Congress proceedings I shall confine myself to a general description, dealing with points of particular interest to India from the Indian point of view. 1. Introductory Addresses. In the intro- ductory addresses, Heori Barbusse, the noted French writer and socialist, ‘in his rhythmic French, as well as other speakers following him, ‘dealt chiefly with the eonditions under which we live, and the need 587 of a Congress and a League of all oppressed peoples. All stressed the fact that the nations of the world are realizing more and more that they are one people and that any system of society which has parasitism of ‘one group of people on another group as its life principle, carries within itself the seeds of its own destruction. They showed that the majority. of peoples today are either living under slavish subjection at the point of the bayonet of a foreign power, or are slaves of a system whose two corollaries are unemployment and low wages, The moment these people realize the wrong of the system under which they exist, and recognize their power as a united people, that moment will be one of victory. It was for the cause of humanity and for the realisation of a com- mon ideal, as well as the recognition of our ‘Mohamed Hatt Aetegate irom ladonesia ability to achieve our freedom as a united people that the Brussels Congress was held. 2. The Consequences of Imperialist Exploi- lation. We, Indians, do not. need mach ena lightenment on this subject. The universality of 358 the theme was significant. Whether the voices raised were those of Negroes from Africa or Ledebour, the heroic veteran labour leader of Germany, 76 years of age and still young; he ‘says he wants to be in the forefront of the fight for the destruction of Imperialism America, or from struggling China, whether the cry was from Mexico or the plains of Korea, it had the same bitterness, the same pain and pathos, and with modifications, had ‘the same sad tale to tell, All had had their 1857's and their Amritsars—many times ovér, All had their Ordinance Laws and Penal Codes, their suppression of speech, press and assembly ; their 300% dividends and forced labour, the exploitation of little children, child mortality, the 16 hour day, ‘the subjection and exploitation of woman and famine. All had their —untouchables—as Coloured Bills or as reserved subjects ; their exiles, and their mercenaries, All had been forced into the “war for the emanci pation of weaker nations”, and afterwards all had begged for food and’ freedom—but had received stones labelled “Reforms”. All had their opium and their “law and order.” In short—symptoms and results of the same THE MODERN REVIEW FOR MaY, 1927 diseaso—slavory enforced by Imperialism— everywhere. Had tho delegates not come from the ends of the earth and met for the first time, a stranger from the outside would have really concluded that they had some way or other all met before and agreed to say the same thing; in the stories told in a dozen diflerent languages, in the reports or facts and conditions, we saw that Imperialism isthe most deadly enemy of human life, Is there any wonder, then, that at palace Egmont, peoples with different languages and culture, different shades of opinion, found themselves amongst men and women who instinctively understood, and that they could work in such harmony ‘And work they certainly did, unsparingly. ‘The sessions lasted practically day and night, many of them closing only at three in the morning. ‘The Right press had tried during the first two days to laugh at the gathering, , Y. Chattopadhyava, one of the organizers of the Congress, and repre~ sentative, Assn. of Indian Journalists in’ Barope but alter that a new note crept in all reports 5 there was close observance, full reports, respect uot unmixed with fear at times, and the Congress was called variously’ the ‘THE CONGRESS AGAINST IMPERIALISM “League of the Oppressed”, the “Coloured Taternational”’, the “League of Asiatic Peoples”, and so on. Loading Continental dailies, both left and right, gave long first page accounts of the proceedings, and some gave full pages to it As said before, Mr, Jawaharlal Nehru was the representative of the All-India National Congress, The Indian delegation was so organised that all reports, — resolutions, or discussions were placed before the Congress through him. The appreciation of Nebru’s work at Brussels, as well as his broad national and international vision, must be here recorded. In bis speech he pointed out the significance and necessity of the freedom of India if mankind is to be eman- cipated. Great Britain, by keeping India in sub- jection, keeps the whole of the Kast in chains. Not only has Great Britein waged wars to keep India in subjection, but she has exploited India’s men and money to subdue other countries like Egypt, Tibet, Burma, Africa, -ete.—not to ‘speak of the recent dispatch of Indian troops to China, an action deeply resented by India. The freedom of India isa world problem. Freedom, he said, is the first ossential domand of every country ; nationalism, after all, is a first and a necessary step to internationalism. Extracts from his speech follow. Having disarmed.‘us, they tell us that we are not capable of defending our country. . Havh Proust in a Syston of education ‘wich Lill al our old edteation aud substifated something which ‘vas ridioulously small and ridiculously. inadequate, Having, taught as false history and attempted t6 feach. ul to. despise oor own ‘country “and” tp lorly “Hosland, they ‘now tel “us.we, are” not Eufilentiy educated to be a free country ! "You all kaow of the way, Tadian. tr00ps have Sogn “sent agaist Chinn cThay ere satin file of the fact that the National” Conatess, Of Hida xpressed its strongest" opposition, T shall all to gou the nates ofa number of counties Whore” Yodian” croops. have, een utieed by the sh for the purposes of imperialism—in China they first wont in 1840; in 1927 thoy are still going and they nave. been actively engaged there fanumerable times during these 87 years. They have. been to Baypt, to Abyssinia, jg the Persian Gulf, to Mesopotamia, Arabia, Syria, Georgia, Tibet, Alptanistan and Boris s fein India cannot go on, merely because freedom is good and slavery bad, e it is a matter of life and death for us and our country. Tho exploitation. of India by the British is barrier for other countries that are being exploited and oppressed. It is an urgent necessity for yon fiat we gain our frepdom...WVe desire the fullest freedom for cur gountrv, not only internally, but the freedom to develop. such relations with our neighbours and other countries as we may desire. 669 It is because we thiuk that this International Congeess alfords tis a chance of this co-operation that we welcome and greet it. Mr. Feaoer Brockway then made a speech fall of noble words. He ‘said that the Independent Labour Party of England believes in the equality of races and workers. Ho added : H. Liau (lef), delegate from the Kuo Min Tang Party of Canton. Chen Chuen (right), delegate from Canton Labour Federation and» Canton-H Kong Strike Committe “L would tell my Indian comrades that we are at one ‘with them in’ their struggle ‘against Imperialism. The spirit of Keir Hardie is our iri, We admit ‘with, shame that the Labour rovernment spoke to India as a capitalist. Govern- ment, and it was responsible ‘for’ the Ordinance Jaws, ‘The IL, P. then opposed, and stil opposes that policy, in the fature we will. do the ‘utmost fo wine out that shame, To my Chinese comrades I would add that if” hostilities ensue between Hogland and China, our sympathies will be with the latter.” _ After his speech, Mr. Brockway and Mr. H. Lian (Executive Member of the Kuo Min Tang) shook hands amidst a scene of great jong 560, enthusiasm, But, as for ourselves, we can only say as regards the L L. P.’s good will to India, we shall await deeds before we express the full measure of our gratitude. If we had always honoured deeds more and heautifal words, spoken by our own country- men and by Englishmen, less, wo . should be nearer Swaraj than we are today. 3. The Dangers of War. China was repeatedly mentioned by speakers. In fact, ‘throughout the Congress proceedings, China was tho focus of all attention, "for it was recognised by everyone that it is China that is today fighting the great historic fight for the freedom, not only of herself, but of all Hansien Lign, representative of the Kuo Min Tang, George Lansbury, M. P. of Bogland Asia, A Chinese General from Canton, and member of the Kuo Min Tang, spoke with rest feeling, telling ‘how the Imperialist owers had forced several wars on an un- willing and badly armed China. Indian readers too well know the history of the opium wars against Chioa, and we need not repeat any facts here. ‘The Gevoral spoke with confidence, saying that the Koo Min ‘Tang, which stood for the “triple principles” of the people, as laid down by Dr. Sun Yat Seo, THE MODERN REVIEW FOR MAY, 1927 a peasant’s son, will emerge triumphant in the present struggle, and this in spite of all Imperialist interventions and desigas of war. ‘The Chinese delegates spoke in their own Tanguage ; throughout they were noticeable for their earnestness, their simplicity, their few but sigaificant words, and what may be called an uaspoken passion for any kind of work to forward the canse of the Congress. ‘Tho speakers that followed the Chinese delegates showed how the rivalry for colo- nization and markets amongst the Imperialist Powers is the cause of War; and how the schemes of colonization and’ of baying up Virgin lands such as thoso of Central and South America—to be exploited 100 years hence by American trusts—has produced a state of hostility between the different countries. The policy of Imperialism today by which a whole people may be bought up or crashed, so long as the Imperialist Power and money, cannot, in face of ion of the masses, continue end- ‘The masses are beginning to realize lessly. that they are human beings and not com- modities. The Wars urged by Imperialist Powers leave the workers not one iota better off than they were before—it matters not if they belong to the victorious or to tho vanquished nation. The exploitation and oppression go ov more vigorously than ever. We cannot give more than this of a subject! so vast, as this, We recognize its great importance, but our own struggle is so urgent that we can do little else than mention it, It was the viewpoint of Central and South American and Mexican delegates that the centre of the world conflict is not in Asia. “You must remember,” the Mexican delegate (Minister of | Education, Mexico City) ‘said, “that Asia is already fall, Imperialist countries seek actual profit for the future. ‘The most important efforts of Imperialism are at present directed towards South America.” ‘Mr. George Lansbury, member of the British Parliament and Vice-President of tho British Party, spoke on the same subject. “swThose who say to ug that British troops are going fo Chinn fo dsfont Bettish lives ey ad the fioe ‘they lee ‘Taey" are gofag: thereto ead cantaliat Interests oaly fof ths purpose of safe: guarding money-making. and for my part I say to howe wig wast t9 tase tho standscl Se, oF ths workers, the world over. thare is no way of dolag Bint by gating rd of caption and substan for it Sooalism. ‘There is no" other way. We THE CONGRESS AGAINST IMPERIALISM SOL apes << page Presidium of the Brussels Congress, Reading left to right: Jawabarlal Nehru, (India), Lansbury, (England), Bdo Fim'ueo, (Holland). a ‘Tsung Lim, Liaw, (Canton, Koa Min and i, think of China today becanse she is in the foréfront of the pistore, but I thiok also of my African comrades, the tea and women in Africa’ who aro just, the, samo “brothers “and ‘sisters as those ia india and Japsa—they are all exposed to the same sort of attack ag those in China ~Keiends, we freed jany people from the bonds of chattel, ‘slavery. wwe nOW got to free them all from the bonds ‘of ‘economic. servitude. You will win this fight but T'believe “this "week ‘while you have been meeting here you have been doing one of those ‘things that come only occasionally in the history of our race : that is, you are proclaimio the union of the black, yellow, brown and white.

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