[L-I] Mumbai Resistance 2004 - Press Note on 19th January 2004

Mumbai Resistance 2004 - Press Note on 19th
January2004


This is the copy of the press note released by the
organisers at the end of two days of deliberations
and a day of 'cultural resistance' at MR2004.

January 19, 2004

Press Release

MR 2004 culminates on a broad unity note
30,000-strong rally to demand the withdrawal of US
occupation in Iraq

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The Mumbai Resistance 2004, a conclave of over 310
peoples’ organizations world over, came to a rousing
end at the Shahid Bhagat Singh Nagar (Veterinary
College grounds) as the concluding plenary session of
the two-day seminar, a day-long cultural performances
and screening of several films and documentaries on
people’s movements.

The concluding plenary session adopted a People’s
Declaration that outlined the perspective for
developing the anti-imperialist struggle and
intensifying the battle against the ill effects of
globalization and war.

The MR 2004 resolved to “put up a formidable fight
alongside the people of Iraq till all the US and other
troops are withdrawn from Iraq and the US and other
imperialists control over Iraq’s natural resources are
handed over to the people of Iraq.” The declaration
took a pledge to fight imperialist globalisation and
war to the end. It gave a call for unity of all forces
that stand in opposition to the horrors resulting from
the new anti-people offensive. The declaration
resolved to fight shoulder to shoulder together with
the people of various countries that have come under
the jackboots of imperialist aggression, particularly
that of the US imperialists. It also said it would
fight for the abrogation of all the loans to the third
world by the imperialists and their agencies like IMF,
World Bank, etc. All 12 workshops also passed separate
resolutions regarding the specific issues.

The topics discussed at the workshops included the
situation in Iraq, the different national liberation
struggles being waged by oppressed peoples in
different parts of the world, the negative impact of
globalization on dalits, students and youth, and the
fascist offensive by the Hindutva forces in India and
the Zionist offensive against the Palestinian people.
The sessions, inaugurated by noted Bangaladeshi
intellectual Badruddin Umar and Crispin Beltran from
the Philippines, were marked by a number of spirited
speeches by human rights activists Nandita Haksar,
Manoranjan Mohanty and Gautam Navlakha, Bharat Jan
Andolan leader B D Sharma, Dalit leader Udit Raj,
academician Shereen Ratnagar and Dr Anand Teltumbde,
trade union leaders A K Roy, Mukul Sinha and Anoop
Singh. Lively cultural presentations by more than 20
cultural organizations from all over the country, led
by the world-renowned revolutionary balladeer Gaddar
electrified the atmosphere. Over 15 delegations from
abroad, including the Philippines, Greece, Turkey,
Jordan, New Zealand, Austria, Italy, Pakistan,
Bangaldesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka as well as Indian
associations from the UK, expressed solidarity with
the MR 2004 and made several presentations, besides
giving cultural performances.



A special pavilion that screened as many as 21 films
over the two days attracted a lot of attention.
Inaugurated by noted film director from Gujarat Paresh
Naik, Reels of Resistance, the pavilion showcased such
films as Ban Bush, Chord of the Richter Scale,
Anti-Coke Struggle, Gujarat Genocide and Amma Ariyan
(Malayalam).

An art and cartoon exhibition named after Chittoprasad
and inaugurated by famous political cartoonist Mohan
and sculptor Gopal Naidu had displayed over 100
paintings and a number of cartoons against
globalization.

Waves of Resistance, an inspiring day-long cultural
show, was flagged off by noted writer and social
activist Arundhati Roy and presided over by Gaddar.
The show presented a symphony of people’s aspirations
in different languages and different tunes with a
unified message of people’s resistance against
imperialist plunder. A play by Habib Tanvir as well as
many other plays and skits were enacted at the venue.

Marking the conclusion of the two-day seminar and
celebrating the unity of various struggling forces in
the country and around the world, a torchlight
procession was taken out in the night of January 18. 

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