The Central Committee of the Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist-Leninist) sends its heartfelt congratulations to the peace-loving people of the DPRK for the successful nuclear test conducted by the Korean People’s Army on 9 October 2006.
The imperialist media have been sarcastically quoting the press release of the Korean Central News Agency, which stated that the test “will contribute to defending the peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and in the area around it”. However, sarcasm and puerile ‘logic’ aside, this statement of the KCNA does in fact reflect reality. Perhaps the idea that something so potentially violent and destructive as the development of nuclear military capabilities can be a force for peace is too much of a paradox for the simple-minded bourgeois hacks who earn their living by slandering socialist Korea.
The CPGB-ML is of the view that humanity must get rid of nuclear weapons. But we are also firmly of the view that nuclear disarmament must be universal and non-discriminatory. Imperialism, in particular US imperialism, while arming itself to the teeth with the latest nuclear technology, as well as with non-nuclear weapons, is bent upon disarming all other people for the sole purpose of dominating and subjugating them. In view of this, we are firmly of the opinion that the Korean and other peoples have every right to acquire nuclear capabilities, for civil as well as military purposes, in order that the nuclear threat may not be used by the US and other imperialist countries to bully them.
If the imperialists do not want independent countries to develop nuclear weapons, they should stop threatening those countries and enter into comprehensive negotiations on multilateral disarmament. Let the imperialist bandits lay down their weapons if they want to see genuine disarmament. George W Bush, condemning the DPRK’s nuclear test, had the temerity to “reaffirm” his “commitment to a nuclear-free Korean peninsula”! This from the president of a state that maintains 37,000 troops, a substantial stock of nuclear warheads and a nuclear submarine base in south Korea!
It is US imperialism and its allies that have actually used nuclear weapons. It is they who have unleashed horrendous destruction on whole cities. It is they who have developed so-called tactical nuclear warheads and have used radioactive weaponry. It is the imperialist powers that have refused to rule out first use of nuclear weapons.
While arming itself to the teeth, imperialism wishes to disarm people everywhere. The revolutionary proletariat and the oppressed people can only respond in one way – by arming to confront imperialism. It fills us with joy and confidence that the DPRK is playing such an honourable and leading role, and we express our wholehearted support.
Let the imperialist hyenas and their lackeys (including not a few in the ‘left’ movement in Britain) howl with impotent rage that the DPRK is now capable of deterring the real imperialist nuclear threat. Their rage means nothing to the masses of the world suffering under the yoke of imperialism; these masses long for freedom, for independence, for an end to imperialist domination. For these masses, the DPRK’s successful nuclear test is a great victory.
Long live the Workers’ Party of Korea!
Long live socialist Korea!
