Support the Korean People's Just Struggle
for Peace and Reunification
Oppose Canada's Role in U.S.-Led Aggression Against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
- Communist Party of Canada
(Marxist-Leninist),
June 15, 2019 -
  
The role
of
Canada's military in enforcing unjust and deadly sanctions against the
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) is of great concern. These
activities come at a time the peoples of the world are opposing foreign
intervention in all its forms and are calling for peaceful, diplomatic
means to
resolve issues within and between countries. The high-handed U.S.-led
sanctions
against the DPRK undermine the achievement of conditions conducive to
inter-Korean relations and peace negotiations between the U.S. and
DPRK, and
are blocking them from going further.
On June 3,
the Department of National Defence (DND) announced that the Canadian
military
will be deploying HMCS Regina, Naval Replenishment Unit Asterix
and a CP-140 Aurora aircraft under the name Operation NEON, "to
ensure
sanctions are imposed against north Korea." The DND announcement quotes
Lieutenant-General Mike Rouleau, Commander, Canadian Joint Operations
Command,
stating that Operation NEON is "Canada’s contribution to this
multinational
initiative in support of peace and security on the Korean Peninsula."
Defence
Minister Harjit Sajjan is also quoted: "Canadians can be proud of the
work the
Canadian Armed Forces are doing alongside our allies and partners in
the
Asia-Pacific region. This includes contributions to Operation NEON as
part of
the United Nations Security Council sanctions. These sanctions play a
key role
in supporting global security and prosperity in the region."
This is
sophistry; it is designed to deceive. The peoples of the world have
seen with
their own eyes how the joint efforts of north and south Korea created
the
conditions for the U.S. to begin the process to normalize relations
with the
DPRK in the past 18 months. This includes the clear statements by the
DPRK
about why it had to develop its nuclear deterrent, and that if it is
able to
ensure security for the DPRK and the Korean Peninsula as a whole
through
negotiations, this deterrent will no longer be necessary. Sanctions
played no
part in reaching this point whatsoever.
Objectively,
the
sanctions
against
the DPRK not only greatly harm the people of the DPRK
but
serve to increase tensions. They have never contributed to security in
the
region. Furthermore, they violate the principles on which international
law is
understood to be based. The DPRK on principle has never compromised its
sovereignty or bowed to sanctions. Nor have sanctions stopped the DPRK
from
being able to find the means to defend itself from outside aggression,
including the development of its nuclear deterrent. The ingenuity,
perseverance
and productive capability of the people of the DPRK have permitted them
to
overcome these unjust sanctions time and time again and provide for
themselves the
security they require, and in so doing, uphold peace in the region and
the
world.
Nor have
the sanctions contributed to prosperity. While the U.S., Canada and
others
claim these sanctions defend human rights, they in fact do the
opposite. They
are an assault on the human rights of the people of the DPRK, causing
them
great hardship by depriving them of normal trade relations and the
necessities
of life. The sanctions are blocking the joint economic development
project in
Kaesong, as one example. This important enterprise that boosts the
mutual
prosperity for north and south has been directly sabotaged by the
sanctions.
The
Canadian government claims to uphold the rule of law and that Canada is
a
peacekeeping country. What then should people make of it acting as a
thug that
enforces the illegal sanctions regime of the U.S. imperialists? It is
utterly
dishonourable and counter to the will of Canadians, who do not consider
themselves to be the henchmen of U.S. imperialism.
If Canada
was serious about promoting peace and security on the Korean Peninsula,
it
would be calling for the U.S. to uphold the DPRK-U.S. Summit Agreement
and take
concrete steps towards a new relationship with the DPRK, instead of
doing the
opposite. Moreover, Canada must make amends for its past crimes against
the
DPRK as an aggressor in the Korean War that divided Korea and during
which
terrible crimes were carried out by the U.S. and its allies. More than
4
million Koreans, including civilians, were killed during the war,
Pyongyang was
razed to the ground and the DPRK and its people suffered great damage
through
carpet bombing, napalm, fire bombing of its cities, dams and power
plants and
biological warfare.
Canada
must
be a force for peace on the Korean Peninsula by ending the
participation of the
Canadian military in multinational coalitions prowling the seas as
self-appointed sanctions police, aimed at realizing the U.S.
imperialist
striving for hegemony even if it means destroying the DPRK or any other
nation.
Canada must foster all-sided relations with the DPRK based on the
principles of
non-interference in each other's affairs and mutual benefit. It should
support
all initiatives of the Korean people, such as the inter-Korean
Panmunjom
Declaration of April 2018, that advance the cause of peace and
reunification of
Korea. That is what the Canadian people want and what the Korean people
desire.
This will contribute to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and
around
the world.
The
Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist) calls on the people of
Canada to
resolutely oppose Operation NEON as an act of aggression against the
DPRK. It
is important for Canadians to stay informed about developments on the
Korean
Peninsula and not fall prey to fearmongering and warmongering that do
not serve
the cause of peace nor Canadians' aspirations for Canada to be a Zone
for
Peace.
Hands Off the DPRK!
End All Sanctions Against the
DPRK!
No to Canada's Participation in Aggression Against the
DPRK!
This article was published in
Volume 49 Number 22 - June 15, 2019
Article Link:
Support the Korean People's Just Struggle
for Peace and Reunification: Oppose Canada's Role in U.S.-Led Aggression Against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea - Communist Party of Canada
(Marxis
Website: www.cpcml.ca
Email: editor@cpcml.ca
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