Minutes of the Hopi steering committee
The next meetings take place on Saturday March 29 in London and on May 3 on Paltalk. Meetings of the Hopi steering group are open to all members of Hopi. Please get in touch if you want to attend or if you have ideas and suggestions that you think should be discussed at the meetings.
Saturday January 12
Saturday February 23
Saturday March 29
February 23 2008
Present: Moshe Machover, Torab Saleth, Tami Peterson, Azar Sheibani, Mark Fischer, Ben Lewis, Tina Becker, Charlie Pottins, Vicky Thompson, Steve Monaghan, Ali Damavandi
Apologies: Yassamine Mather, Peter Tatchell, Azar Majedi, Stuart King, Houzan Mahmoud, Mehdi Kia
Minutes: Tina Becker
1. REPORTS
a) Students
Ben Lewis reported that a number of very successful Hopi student meetings were held in Manchester and Sheffield. There are meetings planned in Edinburgh (27th of February), Oxford (29th of February) and Leeds. He will try and set up student/campus meetings in Bristol and Nottingham. Furthermore, Hopi and Communist Student member Chris Strafford is standing for the ‘Block of 12’ of the NUS executive and his platform contains many references to Hopi. Hopi members also support the election of arrested Iranian student Anoosheh Azaadbar as Honorary Vice President of the NUS. It was further reported that Hopi Manchester had succeeded in bringing a motion to the NUS LGBT conference, which urges the NUS to support Hopi.
The meeting went on to discuss our response to an approach by Education Not for Sale (the student organisation of the Alliance for Workers’ Liberty), which have asked us to participate in a joint meeting at the NUS conference on the imprisoned Iranian students and workers. Ben had prepared a response.
In the debate that followed, a number of comrades expressed concerns about being seen to collaborate too closely with the AWL, as it would give them more credibility than they deserve. Steve pointed to the AWL’s soft view on imperialism and reported how a local AWL member had argued against the formulation in Hopi’s founding statement, which states our “opposition to Israeli expansionism and aggression”. However, all members agreed that we should try and have a debate with them. Mark argued that we should organise our own fringe meeting if the AWL/ENS refuses to have a debate.
The meeting decided:
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To accept the invitation for a joint meeting with the AWL/ENS only if it is organised as a debate.
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To this end, a couple of amendments were voted through (see attachment A).
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If they refuse to organise the debate, Hopi will organise its own fringe meeting
b) Trade unions
Because Stuart could not make the meeting, Mark gave a very brief report. In effect, not much trade union work has been done, due to pressures of work. However, a couple of initiatives have been taken locally.
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Manchester Aslef has affiliated
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A member of the PCSU in Manchester is trying to get branches affiliated
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There is a motion in support of Hopi going to the conference of the Scottish TUC
A number of initiatives were agreed to further our work in the unions.
c) Women
Azar reported that a joint event with the Women’s Campaign Against All Misogynist Laws planned for the end of February in London had to be postponed to late March.
The meeting further discussed a solidarity message to a conference co-organised by Azar Majedi in Sweden on March 8 and the demonstration in Brussels on the same day. After some discussion and proposals for amendments, the meeting commissioned Mark to redraft this in cooperation with Yassamine.
Action points:
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Mark and Yassamine to re-draft March 8 message, then send to committee for approval, before it goes to Azar M and organisers of the demo in Brussels
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Charlie to approach the organisers of a meeting on ‘Iran: women, peace and liberation’ (speaker: Yassamine Mather) on March 9 in Brent to ask if this could be a meeting jointly organised with Hopi
2. Activities
a) March 6 ‘global day of action’
With a couple of amendments, the meeting voted for the leaflet/text that we will give out on the demonstrations and protests organised on March 6. The essence: while we take part, we cannot politically support the day of action (see attachment B).
b) March 15 demonstration in London
While the speakers have not yet been advertised, it is likely that the STWC will again have invited a representative of Hezbollah to speak – while denying speakers from Hopi a platform (our requests for a Hopi have been ignored). Steve reported that comrades in Manchester are working on a leaflet on the question of Hezbollah. Moshe urged the writer/s to consider how Hezbollah has changed over the last 20 years or so: “From using terroristic methods and being clearly manipulated by the Iranian regime, they are now acting more like a political party and enjoy a lot of support from the poor Shiite population.” He urged comrades to read up on this on the website of the Middle East Research Information Project (www.merip.org).
Hopi will have at least one stall, plus a general leaflet and placards.
c) Hopi weekend school, June 14-15
Because of illness/time restraints not much has been done to organise this school, which was initially planned to take place on April 26-27. The meeting agreed on the new date. There was some discussion about the proposal to have at least two debates at the school, with Charlie warning that we should not re-open programmatic issues that have been decided at our launch conference. Tina argued that we should not ignore differences within our midst – and particularly not ignore arguments that are prevalent on the left (for example, that sanctions could bring peace and democracy to the Middle East). Also, debates can often educate the audience much better.
Other comrades suggested that the question of national minorities and the women’s movements must be discussed. Also, Charlie suggested that we should have a session on ‘Iran’s economic crisis and its role in global imperialism’ (or something to that effect). Steve warned that the proposed session on ‘Does Iran have the right to nuclear weapons?’ could legitimise the US’ sable rattling: “Iran does not and cannot develop nuclear weapons. We should not pose the question like this.” Torab argued that the session could be expanded to include the question of nuclear energy.
Suggestions for the agenda (which will be brought together and re-submitted to steering committee by Mark):
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Trade unions and student protests in Iran
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The 1979 revolution and its aftermath
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‘Iran’s economic crisis and its role in gobal imperialism’ (could this be a debate?)
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The role of women (??), LGBT (??) and national minorities (Peter Tatchell has registered his interest to speak)
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Does Iran have the right to develop nuclear weapons? And what about nuclear energy? Debate
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Are sanctions a way to bring peace and democracy to the Middle East? Debate
The meeting further decided to have sub-committee to look into organising a social on the Saturday night, to which ‘famous’ Hopi supporters should be invited. Tami and Ben put themselves forward.
3. Finance
Our treasurer Tami is working on bringing order into the currently rather chaotic financial arrangements. Tami suggested that Hopi should register to raise money via the Workers’ Beer Company.
Action points:
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All members of the steering committee should take up a standing order, even if it is just for £5/month
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Ben to look at method to divide joining fee/membership dues between local Hopi branches and the national body – probably 50:50
4. AOB
a) International anti-war campaign on Iran
Azar reported that Hopi had been invited to speak in a Paltalk meeting of a number of anti war groups set up by Iranian exiles with a view to investigate future coordination with the activities of anti war Iranian groups in Europe. Yassamine who spoke at this meeting will report back.
b) Hopi stall at King’s College
Thursday February 28, from 11am – 2pm. Get in touch if you can help
c) Forthcoming Hopi meetings and events
Please advertise these and let us know of any further meetings with Hopi speakers or which have been organised by local Hopi branches. See section on our website
Next meetings of the steering committee
Attachment A:
Reply to ENS regards fringe meeting at NUS conference (changes agreed in red)
[Sacha Ismail of the AWL/ENS contacted Ben Lewis by phone mid-February with a propsal that Hopi organise a “joint fringe meeting” with ENS on students at the forthcoming Blackpool NUS conference]
Dear Sacha,
Thank you for getting in touch to propose a joint meeting between HOPI and ENS at the coming NUS Conference in April.
Given the political differences between our organisations, we would like to run any meeting with you as a debate and make this clear in the material to build it.
HOPI is supporting the ENS-initiated campaign to elect our imprisoned comrade Anoosheh Azaadbar as Honrary Vice President of the union and, of course, a debate such as the one we propose would touch on the issue of the imprisoned students and the brutal repression of their and other movements for democracy in Iran.
However, our Iranian comrades also face the threat of war and are subject to harsh economic sanctions. In other words, they are threatened by the main enemy of the Iranian and world’s people – imperialism.
We feel it is necessary to draw sharp political lines between ourselves and political trends within the movement that downplay or ignore this basic fact. We argue for an approach to solidarity premised on the fact that moribund capitalism - imperialism - holds no answers either for the people of Iran or anywhere else on the globe. We want direct links of support between the working people of Iran and internationally that are ideologically, politically and materially independent of either imperialism or the theocratic regime. In today's world, democracy and progressive social change comes from struggles only from below - whether in the Middle East, in Europe or in the United States itself. The genuine solidarity movement argues against imperialist ‘surgical strikes’ and calls for the end to imperialist occupations.
The appproach of the ENS/AWL is clearly at odds with this and it is for this reason that any meeting involving our two organisations must take take the form of a debate to explore the important differences between us. Hopefully, such a debate will also achieve greater political clarity between us and, crucially, the wider student movement on these key questions.
Yours against imperialist war and in solidarity with the Iranian people,
HOPI Steering Committee
Attachment B:
Statement/leaflet for March 6 (click here to download as a leaflet)
What sort of solidarity do workers in Iran need?
Why we cannot politically support the day of action on March 6 2008
Supporters of Hands Off the People of Iran will be taking part in the day of action on March 6 to highlight the plight of Iranian trade unionists currently languishing in the prisons of the regime (Ossanlou, Salehi and many others). However, we draw the line at politically endorsing these protests.
The groups centrally involved in organising this mobilisation (the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)) are deeply compromised politically. They are more or less silent on the role of imperialism in the region and - in truth - are junior partners in implementing the reactionary agendas of the US and its allies.
The official leaflets to mobilise for this day of action focus almost exclusively on opposition to the theocratic regime. But the Iranian working class is facing two enemies - both the Ahmadinejad regime and the biggest enemy of it and the world’s working class, imperialism.
The negative impact that the pressure of US-led imperialism has already exerted on the Iranian working class does not merit a mention in the publicity material of the IFT and ITUC. The looming threat of war and sanctions have cost the jobs of thousands of Iranian workers - and those that protest to defend their conditions against the anti-democratic attacks of the theocratic regime are branded as “traitors” or “dupes of imperialism”. Iranian workers are struggling daily against the Islamic Republic’s attacks - privatisations, casualisations, systematic non-payment of wages and attacks on effectively organised trade unions that stand up to this vicious exploitation.
Yet, in this, the theocracy is just enthusiastically enforcing neo-liberal economic policies dictated by the World Bank and the IMF! No wonder there is no enthusiasm amongst the working class and radical movements of Iran for regime change ‘George Bush style’. Not only do they have the grinding experience of what this already means for their daily struggle to live, they have only to glance at the nearby hell that imperialism has fashioned in Iraq to understand that the chance for genuine democracy and social change must come from their own struggles, not from reactionary self-appointed ‘saviours’. Organisations such as IFT or ITUC that are silent on imperialism - and those on the left that uncritically tail them - effectively provide a left cover for the war plans of Bush.
Hopi has a totally different approach to solidarity. We are clear moribund capitalism - imperialism - has no answers either for the people of Iran or anywhere else on the globe. We want direct links of support between the working class in Iran and internationally that are ideologically, politically and materially totally independent of either imperialism or the theocratic regime. In today’s world, democracy and progressive social change comes from struggles only from below - whether in the Middle East, in Europe or in the United States itself.
Click here to read the motion on workers in Iran passed at the Hopi launch conference plus our model trade union resolution.
January 12 2008
Present: Moshe Machover, Torab Saleth, Tami Peterson, Azar Sheibani, Stuart King, Houzan Mahmoud, Mark Fischer, Ben Lewis, Tina Becker
Apologies: Mehdi Kia, Yassamine Mather, Vicky Thompson, Steve Monaghan, Peter Tatchell, Azar Majedi, Charlie Pottins
Minutes: Tina Becker
1. INTRODUCTION
Mark Fischer opened the meeting and congratulated all to the successful launch conference in December. Hopi now has just under 120 members and seven affiliated organisations.
Now we must not lose momentum and move forward. He proposed that March 15 (World Against War demonstration) should act as a focus for our short-term activities. Building for a strong Hopi presence at this march would facilitate the building of Hopi branches. He further proposed that a two-day school in spring (April 26-27) would help to further educate our activists and act as a focus for building Hopi.
2. FOUNDING CONFERENCE REVIEW
The following items were remitted to the steering group:
2.1 Palestine
Hopi North West proposed at conference that we should add to our founding statement the slogan against Israeli expansionism the words “and support the heroic Palestinian struggle for self-determination and the right to return”.
In the discussion, Torab pointed out that as we were instructed by the launch conference, this discussion was a one-off and that the steering committee could in future not change the founding statement, unless instructed by Hopi conference.
Moshe and Azar first suggested to delete the word ‘heroic’, as this implies that we are uncritical about all the actions of Hamas and other groups. Tami and Stuart suggested that, while they agreed with the sentiment, the formulation did not really fit into our founding statement. Moshe thought it would be best to leave it to the next conference to decide if it should go into the founding statement. The current formulation was unclear and even people in the steering group interpreted it differently. Mark agreed, suggesting that the Manchester comrades could be asked to submit a motion on the subject (rather than an amendment to the founding statement) and that the question of Palestine should be further discussed at our April school.
The steering group voted to reject the inclusion (7 against, one abstention).
2.2 Trade union model resolution
After a brief discussion, this was passed. The final version will be circulated to the steering group before publication.
2.3 Motion on women
As we did not have the written version in front of us, it was decided to circulate the motion to the steering group before publication.
3. ACTIONS AND CAMPAIGNING PRIORITIES
Under this item, a number of reports were given and actions discussed. A full list of meetings will be made available on the Hopi website.
- Stuart: Local Hopi meetings in the next two months should focus on the students’ protests in Iran.
- Mark: Agree. We need a team of people to coordinate our student work. Suggests the Manchester students in the future, as they have done exemplary work. They should look into building Hopi student branches.
- Torab: Volunteered to produce a general Hopi brochure with relevant background information and articles on Hopi
- Tami: Hopi website should feature a ‘recommended book list’ (Tina to work with Iranian comrades on this). We need a branch organiser
- Torab: We need to think of ways to draw in the hundreds of Hopi signatories and make them active supporters
- On website, Torab and Azar suggested that we need better and more up-to-date information about Iran, plus more and better links.
Action
