THE EU IS CONTINUING ITS DEMAGOGY

national | miscellaneous | news report Sunday November 03, 2002 15:42 by DHKC International dhkc at post dot com

IN RELATION TO THE 'BLACK LIST'

The Black List of the EU, which amounts to a restriction of democratic rights, was re-confirmed on October 28.

THE EU IS CONTINUING ITS DEMAGOGY
IN RELATION TO THE "BLACK LIST"

The Black List of the EU, which amounts to a restriction of democratic rights, was re-confirmed on October 28.
For the sake of appearances, the group reputed to have carried out the massacre in Bali was added to those organisations already on the list. This too is a demagogical move to conceal the true nature of the Black List. The deciding factor for the EU was not one of opposition to massacres like the one in Bali. If the EU were really opposed to massacres, it would not have so high-handedly consented to the massacre in the prisons of Turkey which took place on December 19-22, 2000. If the EU were really against massacres which constitute a crime against humanity, then it would have put Russia on the list for murdering people with chemical weapons before the eyes of the entire world. And look at all the racist and fascist regimes and organisations, enemies of humanity that Europe has supported and financed in the course of its history. France's massacres in Africa, Britain's massacres in Asia, Holland's in Indonesia and those by Spain and Germany within their own frontiers have not been forgotten. But it could not be expected that those with such a past would condemn Turkey for burning people alive or condemn Russia for murdering hundreds with gas canisters.

HOW DID THE BLACK LIST COME ABOUT?
The Black List was compiled as a result of pressure from the USA, after the CIA issued a list of "organisations to be destroyed". And according to CIA Director Tenet, the framework of the Black List also includes "DHKP-C, FHKC, FARC, Islamic Jihad and Hamas".
While the EU was putting this list together, it paid heed to the reactionary demands of member states and put organisations like ETA, GRAPO, the Real IRA and November 17 on the list. However, to conceal the true nature of a list which is directed at revolutionaries, fascist organisations from Ireland were put on the list as well.
Moreover the death squads of the Colombian Gladio, whose massacres stink to high heaven and which are essentially a product of imperialism, were put on the list to retouch the "terrorist" image, along with certain fanatical Islamic circles.
Fascist regimes like Turkey, Israel, Peru and Colombia, which are loyal US collaborators, also exerted influence on the compilation of the Black List.

DOES THE BLACK LIST HAVE A LEGAL BASIS AND LEGAL SANCTIONS?
The Black List was announced by COREPER, the permanent representation of EU member states. Since COREPER is not obligated to justify the decisions it takes as an
institution, it is also not obligated to declare which organisations it is putting on lists, nor to declare what the background is and what criteria it uses.
In a word, this was a completely undemocratic decision. The only sanction of the Black List is the decision to seize the property of persons and organisations on the list as well as freeze their bank accounts.
Although the Black List is essentially a political decision and there is a Parliament designed to reach such decisions, this judgement simply ignored the EU's political bodies. Since COREPER does not have the authority to reach political and legal decisions, the sanctions to be applied as part of the decision to adopt a Black List must be applied within a financial and administrative framework. However, the way this decision was made public by COREPER and the uncertainty shown by legal institutions may also have indirect judicial consequences, even if there is no judicial basis in relation to organisations that are on the list. For example, if there was a judicial trial opened in any member state against a person or organisation on the list, the Black List could be used as proof and this could have judicial consequences even if this were restricted to financial sanctions.
That no justification was deemed necessary for the formation of this list also means that the right of appeal of those affected by the decision is also restricted.
And the result is that legal avenues of opposing a decision with judicial consequences are blocked. Such decisions are only appropriate for dictatorships and are an example of illegality. And where there is no right of self-defence, there is also no justice.

HOW HAS THE BLACK LIST FUNCTIONED SO FAR?
The Black List must be looked at much more in terms of its political consequences than its judicial ones.

a. The USA's activity has scorned the national will of the various EU member states. It has called forth a situation whereby even the police organisations of the EU states are starting to say, "What's this all about?" The formulation of the list was far more about CIA reports than about the reports by European police institutions.

b. The countries where organisations have been put on the Black List are also countries in which the worst human rights abuses occur today. Regimes in countries like Turkey, Israel, Colombia or Peru are known for their torture and massacres. The EU list also constitutes support for inhuman policies in these countries. It legitimises cooperation with torturers.

c. Although there are in no way legal sanctions against the organisations on the list, their democratic activities on European soil are arbitrarily prevented and the way is cleared for democratic rights to be taken away.

d. The paranoia about terrorism, created under pressure from the USA and fascist regimes that collaborate with it, has spread throughout Europe and created fear and disquiet among people. So the Black List has created an atmosphere of terror
which has also meant that democratic institutions have been terrorised.

e. The Black List in Europe, in any case the birthplace of racism, has created a basis for strengthening racist-fascist inclinations, particularly directed at non-Europeans.
This and similar political consequences, which arise from the Black List have been directed at more than just the organisations on the list and have been used to take away democratic rights in Europe. For example, while in Germany hundreds of foreigners have been murdered by fascist organisations, these have not been banned and this is helping to strengthen these organisations.

THE LIST WAS RENEWED ON OCTOBER 28, SO WHAT HAS CHANGED?
On October 28, 2002 the EU Black List was renewed. Organisations from countries which belong to the EU were removed from the list. Of course, that is a positive development. However, just as no reason was given for putting organisations on the list, no reason was given for removing them.
With the renewal of the list the New People's Army from the Philippines (NPA) was put on the list at US request, and the name of the founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines Sison was added to it. The US directive that "the NPA, which has declared that it opposes the US military presence in the Philippines, must also be added to the list," was thus implemented.
As CIA Director Tenet said, organisations like the DHKP-C, PFLP and FARC are to be destroyed, with excuses being cited such as "the DHKP-C has criticised America's war in Afghanistan". The policy of the USA is unequivocal: "Whoever criticises me and opposes me must be destroyed." Yes, the EU Black List is also a part of this US operation. The renewal of the list is an expression of it. In addition to various sects, Gladio-type organisations and certain Islamic groups there are also various revolutionary organisations such as the DHKP-C, PFLP, PLF, PFLP-General Command, FARC, Communist Party of Peru (Shining Path) and the NPA. Let us look at the time the list was put together. At that point the influence of the September
11 action was being used for demagogic purposes. In fact this list was put together at that time under the pretext of preventing actions such as that. But in its new form the list has no such content. Like the DHKP-C, most of the organisations on the list oppose actions against the civilian population.

EVERYTHING IS CLEAR: THE EU LIST IS THE USA'S LIST
The Black List is not the EU's list. It came into being as a result of US pressure. When the Black List was created in December 2001, Britain and the Danish Prime Minister openly said that the EU list should be identical with the US list of terrorist organisations. And that is what has been brought about today. Danish Prime Minister Rasmussen, who on the one hand was keen to put the DHKP-C on the list, is also one of the EU prime ministers most enthusiastic about letting the murderous torture regime in Turkey join the EU. The clear proof that this list is derived from the USA and that it came about as a result of simultaneous pressure from torturing, murdering US collaborationist regimes is that those who issued the list are also trying to fix a definite deadline for Turkey's entry into the EU.
Statements like Berlusconi's that the war against terrorism is a "crusade and a clash of civilisations" indicate the mentality of those who drew up the list, as well as revealing the ideology of America's war. British Prime Minister Blair shamelessly declared that
"We are ready to shed blood for the USA."All these examples openly reveal the influence of American policies over the EU countries. It is a confession that the will of the peoples in European countries has been mortgaged to the USA.
The Black List means the lifting of democratic rights. Let us defend ourselves against it. The Black List means hostility between peoples. Let us strengthen solidarity between peoples. The Black List means war. Let us not permit it. All people and institutions which stand for the defence of democratic rights, law and human rights must oppose the Black List. They must say loud and clear: "We are against war and the policies of the EU and the USA, we too criticise the EU and the USA."

NO TO THE BLACK LIST!

November 1, 2002

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