Alex Callinicos dismisses 'hullabaloo' about Hadi Saleh's murder
Far left follies

Professor Alex Callinicos is a political leader and theoretical guru of the Socialist Workers’ Party, the leading force in the Stop the War Coalition. He is widely read in the global anti-capitalist movement.

Calinicos has written an article that does not condemn the brutal murder on January 4 of the Iraqi trade unionist Hadi Saleh by the 'resistance'.

Callinicos condemns the beheadings carried out by al-Zarqawi but Hadi's murder is not given as an example of an action by a 'guerrilla insurgency' that should be condemned.

He adds, "In the last few days the assassination of an Iraqi Communist Party leader who supports the occupation has provoked a hullabaloo in the media and the unions here in Britain."

The use of the word 'hullabaloo' to dismiss the pain and anger that has been expressed by Hadi's family, comrades, and the international labour movement at Hadi's slaying is shameful. Callinicos should apologise. The SWP should dissociate themselves from his appalling comments.

It will not be enough this time for the leaders of the left – trade union leaders, editors of socialist magazines, left-wing MPs, columnists – to shrug their shoulders, or to say nothing because they want to preserve 'the unity of the left'. A brave Iraqi trade unionist has been murdered at the hands of ba'athists, his last moments a nightmare we can barely imagine. And a leading figure on the British and international left doesn’t condemn Hadi's torture and murder, making clear his own view, and that of his party, by the disgraceful characterisation of it as a silly 'hullabaloo'.

Silence diminishes every person who takes that route. Time to speak out. Time to tell the Socialist Workers Party and Professor Alex Callinicos that when they sneeringly dismiss international labour movement condemnation of the murder of free trade unionists as a 'hullabaloo' they will be opposed – loudly and in public - by the decent left and the decent trade unionists. (AJ)