Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume 38, Number 26. 1975

Reply to criticisms of Solidarity Week

Reply to criticisms of Solidarity Week

Dear Sir,

I am answering the letter "Suggestion for Solidarity Week organisers by Mr "Yes and Just Action" in the capacity of on of the organisers of Solidarity Week Committee in Wellington. My pont of view may not necessarily represent them of other committee members.

I admit that there are short-comings in ourselves and our work. However, there are many points on which I cannot agree with Mr Yes.

The political argument put forward by Mr Yes is most peculiar and contradictory. On the one hand, he argues that the approach taken in organising the week was wrong because it was too radical. According to him, "Even the name itself Solidarity appears too red to most Malaysians and Singaporeans." He then tries hard to give the readers the impression that Solidarity Week is a movement for a revolutionary cause organised by some revolutionaries: he lectures to them on how to wage a revolution using such terms as "red", "revolutionary", "reactionary", "Sacrifices" and so on. The "logic" of this sort of argument is the product of a stupid and confused, if not a twisted mind. If Mr Yes thinks that Malaysian and Singporean students in New Zealand are afraid to come to listen to speeches by university lecturers, research personnel, New Zealand Government representatives and NZUSA officials, does he think that they will not be more frightened off by his big mouth parroting half-cooked revolutionary theory? No reader could fail to pick up this contradictory and self-defeating manifestation in the letter, and it would cause one to wonder whether the writer is indeed trying to deliberately scare Malaysian and Singaporean students away from activities of this kind.

We are, as a matter of fact, just students who are concerned about the welfare of the countries concerned and the injustices the Malaysian and Singaporean governments have done to their people, especially to those who are unemployed and those who have to slave in order to earn a meagre living. We are also concerned about the exploitation by foreign monopolies of the local natural and human resources, the deprivation of justified means of protest against corruption, abuses of power and exploitation, the loss of the freedom of press and human rights, the jailing of outspoken professionals, scholars, and students without trial, the demolition of thousands of houses built by squatters in the most brutal manner on earth with no concern at all for the livelihood of these people, etc.

We, as students, regard it as a pride and duty, not a crime, to take the welfare of the state to heart and to be prepared to inform students as well as the public of the reality of life in these countries. This is nothing "red" or militant but the social responsibility all intellectuals should show towards their nations and countrymen. We believe the majority of the Malaysian and Singaporean students here are willing to learn more about their countries and themselves in an environment with comparatively fewer restrictions than in Malaysia and Singapore. The word "Solidarity" might be vague in its content as to having solidarity with whom and for what, but it is incredible and ridiculous to say that the word itself is "too red". It did not appear frightening to Malaysian and Singaporean students elsewhere— In Australia, London and other centres of New Zealand; so why should this be so only in Wellington? Phrases like "Solidarity Week", "Solidarity Month" etc. have also been used by the Malaysian Government on various occasions. I hope Mr Yes will learn to be more objective, positive and accurate in his assessment in future, instead of placing such great emphasis on things such as "white terror" and playing up a sense of fear and the kind of tactics so often employed by oppressive rulers.

What are the items that are too radical for the Malaysian and Singaporean students to accept? The exhibition? The speeches by invited speakers? The film "Burn" (starring Marlon Brando) and "Malaysia" (produced by the BBC)? The slogans, which sum up precisely the theme and the contents of the function?

From this letter I gather this so-called "Mr Yes" must have some knowledge of organisers and the planning of Solidartiy Week. If he knew what was being planned at that time, why didn't Mr Yes join in and help work out a better programme, pointing out the shortcomings of individuals in the presence of these people instead of standing aside and making pronouncements on revolution (with the apparent intention of alienating the organisers from their fellow students) and attacking in public only after the show was over? I hope Mr Yes will adopt a more serious and sincere attitude in future.

There is in fact no need for Mr Yes to pose as a pompous revolutionary theoretician and treat the organisers condescendingly. Who does not know that most of the Malaysian and Singaporean students here are of middle class origins? (It would be extremely surprising if it were found that most of them came from working class families and were still able to enjoy the luxury of higher education overseas!) As far as unity is concerned, only idiots will pick on a friend as an enemy. Being organisers, we know full well that we have to sacrifice our time, energy, and some-times our personal security. Mr Yes reminded us to be prepared for sacrifice—as if we have been on holiday! ... or criminals ready for punishment?

I think it is a waste of time and space to go on refuting Mr Yes point by point. Before concluding, however, I would like to point out to Mr Yes that being smart is one thing, being honest is another much more important thing. He made a statement that "revolution is not simply a 'dinner", it does not occur within one day, or one week nor at set hours. It comes from struggles and sacrifice." It should be pointed out that this is a cunning plagarism and distortion of Chairman Mao's quotation which runs "A revolution is not a dinner party or writing an essay, or painting a picture, or doing embroidery; it cannot be so refined, so leisurely and gentle, so temperate, kind, courteous, or restrained and magnanimous. A revolution is an insurrection, an act of violence by which one class overthrows another." After all which organiser of Solidarity Week regards revolution as a "dinner"? What is the intention of Mr Yes in actually using himself some of the revolutionary jargon which he has already condemend "too hot"?

An organiser