Pinochet and bourgeois democratic right

[Louis Proyect]

Chris Burford:
>Juan has now posted on marxism-unmoderated a report on the detention of
>Pinochet which gives further detail, which LP so confidently asserted on
>19th October, did not exist:
>
>"This petition was the court's answer to the extended complaint
>filed on October 15, 1998, by the Human Rights Secretariat of
>Izquierda Unida (second largest left hand political party in
>Spain) as Popular Accusation in the case on the crimes
>committed by the Argentine military juntas.
>
>Once it was confirmed, through Amnesty International London,
>that Augusto Pinochet was in London and after several days of
>work, the writing which contained the basis for the Dictator's
>detention was elaborated. During this preparation period the
>Human Rights Secretariat of Izquierda Unida, the Salvador
>Allende Foundation and the Nizkor Team coordinated their
>work. Only Amnesty International London had knowledge of
>the work that was been undertaken."

Now this is interesting. If Burford simply posted more information like
this instead of phrasemongering, he'd be serving a useful purpose. 

Nizkor is a Canadian-based group that is spearheading legal actions against
holocaust deniers. I have found their information extremely useful in a
recent debate with a leftist holocaust denier on apst. This character had
made an amalgam of anti-Zionism and denial of gassing in the death camps.
He said that the Zionists were exaggerating the extent of Nazi cruelty in
order to make the case that Israel should have a free rein politically.

When I was invited to join the Nizkor mailing list, I told the moderator
that I was coming from an anti-Zionist perspective. And as soon as I
mentioned that it weakens the anti-fascist cause to deny that Israel has
used the same tactics as the Nazis (collective punishment, torture, etc.),
I was attacked by the list.

Nizkor was responsible for limiting the publishing activities of holocaust
deniers in Canada and the US. But judging from what I saw, I wouldn't be
surprised if at some point they decide to go against left-wingers as well.

Jim Heartfield's admonitions on this question are to be heeded.

As for the rest of Burford's ravings, I would urge him to get a little
sleep. He is showing signs of obsession.

Louis Proyect
(http://www.panix.com/~lnp3/marxism.html)