Democratic Palestine : 29 (ص 41)
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- Democratic Palestine : 29 (ص 41)
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communist party immediately. We are
a revolutionary, democratic party. We
are going to build a socialist society,
but we are a long way from socialism
yet. We have to go through some stages
first. We cannot jump at once to
socialism. We need the material base.»
Until now, the work of the PDPA
has proceeded under extremely adverse
circumstances, due to the war instigated
by imperialist and reactionary forces.
Still, it gives cause for optimism that
the Afghani revolutionary forces can
rise to the challenge of leading the
masses in a national democratic
revolution, oriented towards socialism.
The party itself has grown from under
20,000 to 200,000 in the ten years since
the revolution. The mass organizations
that have been established (trade
unions, women’s and students’ unions)
broaden the ranks of the progressive
movement struggling to develop the
country. The building of numerous
factories, roads, schools and hospitals
has laid the cornerstone of the material
base to be further expanded. Since the
revolution of 1978, 1,700,000 Afghanis
have learned to read. This is a fact of
political as well as social significance,
for the counterrevolution was in the
past able to capitalize on widespread
ignorance among the masses, in
fomenting opposition to the progressive
government.
THE THREAT TO PEACE
A review of the internal Afghani
situation leads one to conclude that the
sole threat to implementation of the
Geneva accords stems from the same
forces that instigated the war on
Afghanistan - chiefly the US, the
Pakistani dictatorship and the seven-
faction rebel alliance they support. In-
deed, this alliance has declared that it is
not bound by the Geneva accords, and
will continue the war until an Islamic
government is established in Kabul.
They punctuated their declaration by
shooting down an Afghani civil plan,
killing 29 passengers, as the accords
were being signed, utilizing US—sup-
plied Stinger missiles. Yet ultimately,:
this alliance cannot sustain armed
struggle or even its own ‘internal struc-
tures without the massive aid which the
US and others have channeled via
Pakistan.
More unsettling is that the US and
Pakistan had no sooner signed the ac-
cords than they put questions to the
legitimacy of the Afghani government,
and asserted their intention to violate
the accords under certain. cir-
cumstances.The US tried to introduce
a false concept of symmetry whereby it
would only discontinue arms to the
rebels if the Soviet Union desists from
military aid to Afghanistan. This was
flatly rejected by the Soviet leadership
which pointed out that their aid is given
in line with long-standing, legitimate
treaties between the two states. Com-
rade Najiballah put the question of
symmetry in its proper perspective
when he told an American delegation
from the International Center for
Development Policy that his govern-
ment would accept a cut-off of Soviet
military aid if the US ends such
assistance to Pakistan.
In early April it was reported that the
US had recently given an additional
$300 million in military aid, matched
by Saudi Arabia, to the Pakistan-based
contras. By May 15th, when the Geneva
accords went into effect, the Afghani
contras were sitting with a newly
delivered year’s supply of arms, in-
cluding new improved weaponry (anti-
tank, mortars and mine-clearing
equipment), according to. Time
magazine, April 18th. In early May, a
US State Department official reported
that Michael H. Armacost,
undersecretary of political affairs, had
sent an aide to Pakistan the week
before to tell the rebels «that we con-
tinue to support their cause, and that
we regard the Geneva agreements as a
means of fostering their cause by
securing a firm commitment by the
Russians to get out promptly,» as a
condition for the rebels taking control
of the country (International Herald
Tribune, May 7-8).
All these are indications that the US
will try to circumvent the Geneva ac-
cords by upgrading its military aid to
Pakistan, and letting the Pakistani
military channel part of this to the con-
tras. In so doing, however, the US will
put itself at odds with the UN whose
forces are charged with monitoring the
Afghani-Pakistan border to see that the
accords are observed. While the US is
not known for respect for international
legitimacy, it could prove embarrassing
to be caught in violation. This would
also put the US at a distinct disadvan-
tage in future negotiations with the
Soviet Union on disarmament and
Other issues related to international
peace.
US relations with India could also be
affected. President Gandhi is known to
have urged the US to sign the accords in
the interests of stabilizing the region.
US failure to abide by its signature will
diminish its credibility with a number
of non-aligned countries, while con-
versely raising the prestige of the Soviet
Union.
The US administration is in a
dilemma. If it, on the other hand, opts
to discontinue aid to the Afghani con-
tras, its prestige with its allies will be
diminished, and they will be less willing
to join in other imperialist-sponsored
projects. This could apply to the reac-
tionary regime in Saudi Arabia, which
has quietly matched US aid to the
Afghani contras over the years, and has
recently been exposed for involvement
in the ill-fated Iran-contragate scandal.
China has also been involved in sup-
porting the Afghani rebels alongside
the US. At a time when Chinese-Soviet
relations are due for improvement, the
failure of the Afghanistan adventure
should make the Chinese leadership
think twice about its collaboration with
US imperialism.
The US dilemma is in fact self-
created. Having channeled the bulk of
the CIA’s aid to the most extreme fun-
damentalists among the seven - faction
rebel alliance, the US has no local allies
that could participate in a compromise
solution that might undermine
Afghanistan’s move towards socialism
through a more sophisticated political
strategy. The CIA’s Afghanistan
adventure is a new affirmation of the
real meaning of Reagan’s support to
«democratic forces fighting com-
munism.» In frenzied efforts to turn
back the tide of history, the Reagan
Administration has supported forces
who are not only reactionary - opposing
for example that women learn to read,
but are also far from the mainstream of
the traditional religious forces in
Afghani society, who are much more
moderate in their beliefs.
In view of all these facts, the Geneva
accords are a.cause for celebration and
should be supported by all progressive
forces. Though problems may remain,
implementation of these accords is to
the interest of the Afghani people, and
their hope for progress and peace. The
UN has achieved a great victory in
working out these accords. It is hoped
that the UN will put all its force behind
seeing that they are enforced, so that
they can serve as an example of the
possibility of resolving conflicts in the
interest of peace and justice. @
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