International

The SP is deeply shocked by the attacks against innocent US citizens. The atrocity of the attack in which thousands of men women and children were killed outranks any previous action in terms of horror and suffering. The world has every reason to be in horror. The SP fears for a chain of terror and retribution. An escalation of violence will enhance the contrasts in the world and jeopardise world peace.

’I believe it is not correct to label this act of aggression against the western world,’ says SP chairman Jan Marijnissen. ’It is an act of aggression against all who care about human dignity and tolerance, whether they live in America or the Netherlands, Israel or Egypt, Sudan or South Africa, whether they’re Christians, Muslims, atheists or Buddhists. Yes, one can speak in terms of good and evil, as has been done so many times these past week and a half, but one can not simply label the western world good and the Islamic world evil.
Let us not forget that it is the western world that enthusiastically supports vicious Islamic regimes like in Saudi Arabia. Let us not forget that it was the western world that armed Saddam Hussein to his teeth because it suited our interests in his war against Iran. Let us not forget that terrorists such as Bin Laden were taught the trade by western secret services to support the battle against the Soviet Union. Let us not forget that western secret services have and still do provide Islamic terrorists in Chechnya and Kosovo with arms. And let us not forget the innocent men women and children who died as a result of the western bombings on Baghdad and Belgrade, by missile attacks on Khartoum and Kabul.
Let us realise that the line between good and evil goes through western counties, straight through the Islamic world, straight through every society in the world. Civilisation, thus proves history, is but a rickety bridge over the chasm of barbarism. It is our duty too keep fighting for that bridge, here and in the rest of the world.
It is the duty of all peace-loving people of the world to fight against injustice, violence and aggression. But this is not a battle that can be fought with missiles and aeroplanes used as bombs – it is a much tougher battle. One in which ideas, convictions and convincing power are the weapons. Who wants to ban terrorism, has to take away the breeding ground of terrorist actions. Only then can they be isolated effectively.’