2 days earlier!? What kind of sovereignty Iraqi have?

On Monday, Bush announced that the Iraqi regain their sovereignty two days earlier. It supposed to have the sovereignty transfer on 30 June (Wednesday) but due to the resistance from the Iraqi people. The US administrators and the new Prime Minister Iyad Allawi of Iraq in a secretive ceremony in order to thwart insurgents' attempts at undermining the transfer.

The current quagmire in Iraq and the the strong criticism by the people of the world on the war on Iraq by US. The sovereignty transfer is a fake. The US try to deceive the Iraqi and the people of the world by the transfer.

According to the statement by Prof Jose Maria Sison, General Consultant for the International League of Peoples' Struggle (ILPS):

The US cannot extricate itself from the Iraqi quagmire of its own making by setting up the puppet Iraqi interim government to replace the puppet Iraqi Governing Council. The much-hyped transfer of “sovereignty” from the US invaders and occupiers is a big hoax and cannot deceive anyone. The US should recall that it could never prettify its criminal role as an imperialist aggressor in Vietnam by using one type of puppet government after another. The US and its allies will not get out of Iraq through the establishment of the so-called interim government. They will get out only as a result of the victorious advance of the revolutionary armed resistance of the Iraqi people for national liberation and democracy.

Prof Sison also revealed that the purposes of the US present in the Iraq after the sovereignty transfer. It resistance should be continue and fight for the liberation for the Iraqi people

The US is so flagrantly hell-bent on holding on to the fruits of its criminal war of aggression against the people of Iraq. It wants to control and own the oil resources of Iraq in order to tighten its grip on the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. It wants to keep 14 US military bases and more than 135,000 US troops in Iraq order to control the entire Middle East, allow Israel to slaughter the Palestinian people and humiliate all the Arab people. It is monopolizing all kinds of business priivileges and contracts, especially reconstruction contracts and military sales, in order to appropriate the oil resources and income of Iraq.

The US embassy under the new American proconsul John Negroponte of Phoenix Plan notoriety will have more than 3000 personnel to oversee and direct all activities of the puppet government. The US is all chicanery as it pretends to get multilateral support for the puppet government even while tightening its control over it. It aims to privatize the profitable state assets of Iraq and push “economic reforms” to favor US monopoly firms. It plans to build a puppet army under tight US command and control. It will continue to carry out its horrific actions of destroying Iraqi lives and property on a massive scale under the pretext of anti-terrorism.

Thus, don't need to be happy with the transfer of the sovereignty. Even the Iraqi people also feel they still under the occupation. It was only the propaganda of the US imperialism. They are doing something to rationale their persent and the occupation in different places in the world. There will be no peace if the US Bush Administration continue such an unilateral foreign policies.

Keep on the struggle for the national liberation!

How hot is the "Fahrenheit 9/11"?

Did you watch 'Farenheit 9/11' directed by documentary filmaker Michael Moore? Why it become so popular and become the hottest topic of the discussion? More surprisingly, this documentary took in a whopping $21.8 million in its first three days, becoming the first documentary ever to debut as Hollywood's top weekend film.

What is the attractive of this documentary? Besides the outspokenly Michael Moore assault the president Bush for his war on terror and in Iraq, this movie also win the Best Film award at Cannes Film Festival last month.

Another surprise is even this movie already been discussed for its impacts on the coming US Presidential Election. Political analysts start to think and find out whether the movie can change the voters' mind.

Some political analysts say Moore won't make many converts. Moore "communicates to that far-left sliver that would never vote for Bush, even if there was an election on the moon," says Scott Reed, a Republican strategist who managed Bob Dole's 1996 campaign.

The film "will turn Bush-haters into bigger Bush-haters," says Jack Pitney, a professor of government at California's Claremont McKenna College. "But swing voters may not even be interested in this subject, and Republicans don't want to turn any money over to Michael Moore."

Larry Sabato, a University of Virginia political scientist, says the savage portrayal of Bush "could convince some Naderites" of the need to vote for Kerry. Moore, who backed Nader's independent candidacy in 2000, says that's one goal. "I hope to have a significant impact on the 4-6% who now say they're going to vote for Ralph," he says.

How far is the impact of the movie to the people? I think sometime we need to be more realistic that movie is become an entertainment that people pay money and get some excitement or even have some leisure. It's nothing to do whether it can change the people mind or not. There are so many movies made by Hollywood who may support the US super power. It may already deep rooted in people minds. The hegemony of the US films to the people around the world is not something new.

Of course, we welcome directors like Michael Moore can produce more meaningful and critical documentary. This is their responsibilities to serve the people with their knowledge and skills.

More importantly, the audience should be more critical when they watched the movie made by Hollywood or who ever in the world. You may say it's only a movie, don't need to be such serious. Then I'll tell you, you don't take it serious because you already give up yourselves to those people to control over you.

Let's us always keep our mind clear!

June 30: Power transfer a fake in Iraq

As we all know that the US imperialist will officially transfer the "sovereignty" to the Iraqi people. With the presence of the US and its allies troops in Iraq, the occupation will exist. This step represents an even more dangerous link in the chain of manoeuvres and tactical tricks employed by the occupying forces in order to legalize the occupation and to continue their crimes against our country; all this now takes place under a “national” guise.

The new government is nothing else than a copy of the Governing Council which has fallen into disrepute as it served as an instrument of occupation. The government does in no way reflect the patriotic aspirations of our people striving for the liberation of our occupied territory as well as the realisation of full sovereignty and national independence.

Facing the strengthening and spreading of the struggle of Iraqi people against the occupants and their lackeys on one hand and the foundering of the Governing Council in the swamps of corruption and crimes against Iraqi people on the other hand!

In another word, this new miserable trick seems to be their last resort especially after their cruel crimes in the prison of Abu Ghraib became known.

The occupants tried to employ the cunning mediator Al Akhdhar al Ibrahimi in order to give the appointed cabinet and president international legitimacy. Obeying to American order the praising words of some Arab rulers followed swiftly.

All institutions created by the occupants form part of the plans to perpetuate the occupation in Iraq. Their only aim:

1. to serve the occupation,
2. to safeguard their absolute control over the wealth in Iraq,
3. to realize the American-Zionist colonial project,
4. to rob the resources in Iraq,
5. to destroy the history of Iraq, and
6. to erase their Islamic-Arabic heritage.

The appointed prime minister has already announced that he will demand the continued presence of the occupying armed forces in Iraq!

Let's us fight together with the Iraqi people. The US and its allies troops should be out of middle east now!

US failed to bid war crimes immunity!

Finally, we manage to get US war crimes on justice. Such ridiculuous that US Army can immune from the charges to the International Criminal Court (ICC). How can US have such a privilege? Every human being will make mistake. Sometimes the mistake will affect a lot of people life and dignity. How can we allowed this kind of mistake such as war crime continue to happened?

Even the ICC can only prosecute crimes committed after July 1, 2002 and perpetrated by nationals of a country that signed the 1998 Rome treaty creating the court, or that were committed on the territory of signatory states. But this is the good progress of the civilization history. We really need to ensure the justice of the world will be uphold.

It's the Anti War movement victory because the US finally couldn't stand for the pressures after the Abu-Graib jail prison abusement. There were a lot of sriminal case which conducted by the US army couldn't bring to justice. It will the people victory and the victory for the justice.

Let's us make it again to free the Iraq from the US occupation!

Dispute in Malacca Strait: The presence of US and sovereignty issues

According to the Sudha Ramachandran in its article "Divisions over terror threat in Malacca Straits" about the cuurent division in the strait and its political dynamic across the region.

A terrorist strike in the 630-mile-long Malacca Straits would severely dislocate world trade for months. A quarter of the world's commerce passes through this waterway, including 10 million barrels of crude oil heading daily from the Persian Gulf toward China, South Korea and Japan. About 80 percent of Japan's oil passes through the Malacca Straits. Closure of the Straits in the event of a terrorist attack would require ships to travel an additional 994 miles from the Gulf. Freight rates would increase sharply. In all, the Straits accounts for a third of the world's trade and half of the world's oil supply.

The security situation in the Malacca Straits has always been a matter of concern. For centuries, it has been a haven for pirates. It is a narrow waterway - just 1.5 miles wide at its narrowest point. Choking the Straits by blowing up a ship would not be difficult. Besides, its shallow reefs, innumerable islets and the slow movement of ships thanks to the heavy traffic in the waterway provide the perfect environment for pirates and terrorists to operate, making it a tempting target.

With the threaten of the terroism in the region, Singapore’s intention of bringing in the United States to patrol the Malacca Straits faced with strong objections from Indonesia and Malaysia. The island state has been forced to consider the second best, namely calling for other major countries sharing a stake in the treacherous waters to join in the patrol effort, which could include China, India, Japan, South Korea and Russia.

Indeed, allowing the US troops to be stationed in the Malacca Straits would, as far as Washington sees it, be a strategy that serves multiple purposes. It could undermine China’s diplomatic endeavor in Southeast Asia, nib in the bud India’s ambition of expanding its navy eastward, killing off Russia’s dream of forging closer ties with Asean, put Japan under US perpetual subjugation, and ensure that the entire Southeast Asia be a sphere of US influence.

This is the dynamic of the foreign affairs of the countries in Southeast Asia and the China, Russia, India, Australia and US in the region. Furthermore, the Southeast Asia already been declared by the US as the second front in the war on terror. The US presence in the Southeast Asia is not something new. Philippine and Singapore are the two close allies of the US in the region.

Of course the sovereignty issues always be the illusion of the ruling party to gain the national supports. Most of the governments like Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand against the presence of US mainly because of the consideration of the people objection in the region. The Malaysia government position on the presence of US in the Malacca Strait seems change.

For example, the Malaysian government already be one of the members in Five Power Defense Arrangement - which groups Australia, New Zealand, Britain, Singapore and Malaysia.

We shall always keep our eyes on the presence of the US in the Southeast Asia together with the government manipulation on the nationalism sentiments. The opposition to the US dominant in the region by the government really need to be examined.

July 1: Celebration or Protest in Hong Kong?

Since 1997, every July 1 is the public holiday for the Hong Kong sovereignty handover from British colonial to the People of Republic China. It is a significant day for the greater China and the end of the British colonialization in Asia.

Last year, as usual the PRC Premier Wen Jia-Bao was celebrated the ceremony with the government official in the Wan Chai International Convention Centre. At the same time, 500,000 people went on the street to protest the legislation of the Article 23.

This year, the Hong Kong Civil Human Rights Front once again call for a rally to protest the PRC government stop the universal suffrage in coming 2007 for the post of the Chief Executive and 2008 for the Legislative Council.

The political analysts predicted there will be more than 300,000 people will appear in the coming July 1 rally. Even this turnout is less than lasy year, but their issues and requests still remain the very crucial issues for the people of Hong Kong to struggle for the democracy. We shall support the Hong Kong people for their struggles.

What are you going to do on July 1? Are you going to join the celebration or the protest?

ASEAN, where can you go?

As we all knew that Association of Southeast Asia Nation (ASEAN) is a combination of the 10 counrties in the Southeast Asia including Burma, Laos and Cambodia which are still very much lack behind the democracy and human rights standard.

ASEAN always be the venue for the nation leaders to discuss about the cooperation of the economy prospect but not internal affairs of a country. That's why the principles of the "Constructive Engagement" which prohibit other countries to criticise the human rights records or the democracy situation in a countries.

Following the challenges of the rising of the China economy, many of the leaders in the ASEAN are finding ways to peg themselves with the China. Recently, Malaysia Prime Minister, Pak Lah suggested to get China, Japan and South Korea together ASEAN to form a greater East Asia Community.

For the ASA, as long as the Aung San Syu Kyi remain house arrest in Burma, the Internal Security Act (ISA) in Malaysia, emergency in Aceh, West Papua and other repression from the ASEAN government. The economy devlopment only serve the status quo and legitimize the human rights violation.

We should learn from the 1997 Asia Financial Crisis which caused by the repressive government and the myth of the economy development. We should never let it happened again.

Please visit ASA Website

Dear friends,

This is the notice to inform you all that the ASA already came out with the website. Please give your comments and ideas.

Always with you in the struggle!

Welcome to ASA Blog!

Warmest greetings of peace and solidarity from the ASA Secretariat!

Welcome to the ASA Blog that will be another tools for the members and the friends of the ASA to communicate, exchange, share and discuss about the current situation across the region and the world.

We hope this blog will be the platform to unite and consolidate our position and stands on different issues. The current crisis that we face now is crucial and we really need to get the comprehensive position to response to the crisis.

This blog is belong to all of us. Get ourselves actively participate in the blog activity.

Thank you for your attention.

In solidarity,
ASA Secretariat