By Darwis Khudori
The last international event organised in Indonesia under the auspice of President Sukarno is the KIAPMA (Konperensi Internasional Anti Pangkalan Militer Asing / The International Conference for the Liquidation of Foreign Military Bases) held from October 17 to 20, 1965 in Djakarta, Indonesia, at the initiative of the Indonesian National Committee. In the following year, Suharto took over the power and Sukarno started to be in house arrest until his passing away in 1970.
By reading the Sukarno’s opening speech and the declaration of the KIAPMA held 61 years ago, and looking at US-Israeli war against Iran today, it seems that Iran is in the forefront in the struggle of the NEFOS (New Emerging Forces) for the liquidation of the foreign “physical” and “mental” military bases installed by the OLDEFOS (Old Established Forces) in NEFOS countries and that it takes 61 years to make the common dream of the NEFOS becoming reality.
The KIAPMA Conference was attended by the delegates of mass organisations from the following 55 countries
- Algeria
- Angola
- Argentina
- Australia
- Belgium
- Brazil
- British Guiana
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Cashmere
- Ceylon
- Chad
- Chile
- China
- Columbia
- Cuba
- Dem. People Rep. of Korea
- Dem. Rep. of Vietnam
- Dominica
- France
- Fr. Guiana
- Fr. Somali
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guadeloupe
- Great Britain
- Haiti
- Indonesia
- Iraq
- Italy
- Ivory Coast
- Japan
- Madagascar
- Malaya
- Mexico
- Mozambique
- Nat. Front for Liberation of South Vietnam
- New Zealand
- North Kalimantan
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Panama
- Philippine
- Portuguese Guinea
- Puerto Rico
- Rumania
- Sierra Leone
- South Africa
- South West Africa
- Sudan
- Swaziland
- Sweden
- Tanzania
- U.S.A.
- 55. Zimbabwe
In addition, the following International Organizations were represented:
- Gensuykyo, representing the 11th World Conference Against A & H Bombs.
- A.A.J.A. (P.W.A.A.)
- Asian and Pacific Regions Peace Liaison Committee
- Afro-Asian Peoples Solidarity Organization (A.A.P.S.O.)
Sukarno’s opening speech
(The full text of the speech in French is available at https://bandungspirit.org/IMG/pdf/kiapma-sukarno-discours.pdf )
The conference was inaugurated by President Sukarno on October 17, 1965. In his opening speech, Sukarno emphasised his point of view that the world was not divided between the West (capitalist) and the East (communist/socialist), but between the NEFOS (New Emerging Forces) and OLDEFOS (Old Established Forces). He defined NEFOS as gigantic forces consisting of progressive nations and groups willing to build a New World full of justice and friendship among the nations, a New World full of peace and well-beings, a New World without imperialism, colonialism and exploitation de l’homme par l’homme et de nation par nation. New Emerging Forces consist of oppressed and progressive nations. New Emerging Forces consist of Asian, African and Latin American nations, socialist nations and progressive groups in capitalist states. While the OLDEFOS consisted of the nation-states of former colonialist-imperialist countries of Western Europe and North America.
In this antagonism, military bases were used firstly to maintain imperialist hegemony. Secondly to contain and to crush the people. Moreover, to maintain their imperialist hegemony, the OLDEFOS used not only “physical” military bases, but also “mental” ones. “Because these bases, I mean, the people who practice subversion against us, and who are instrumental to imperialism, people of our race, of our people and nation, of our family, they are used as puppets, puppets of the imperialists.” These “mental” foreign military bases were installed everywhere in the NEFOS countries: in Arab countries, in Argentina, in Brazil, in Indonesia, in Vietnam, in Panama, in Venezuela, etc.
KIAPMA Declaration
(The full text of declaration in English is available at https://bandungspirit.org/IMG/pdf/kiapma_declaration.pdf )
In its introduction, the Declaration stated that “This Conference was held at a time when the forces of imperialism, colonialism and neo-colonialism, headed by the U.S. are feverishly engaged in military aggression, intervention and political subversion against the people of the world, especially those of Asia, Africa and Latin America, and have thus led to an open confrontation of the anti-imperialist new emerging forces against the old established forces and their lackeys throughout the world. The policies of aggression, war, intervention and subversion on the part of the imperialists pose a serious threat to international peace and form a danger to the security of the developing nations which could lead to a local war […]. In this connection the foreign military bases serve as dangerous tools for the forces of imperialism, colonialism and neo-colonialism.”
The following lines are the full text of the declaration:
BASIC PRINCIPLES
GUIDED by the following basic principles:
a) That the struggle against foreign military bases anywhere is an integral part of the common struggle of the progressive peoples of the world against the policies of war and aggression of imperialism, colonialism and neo-colonialism to achieve or defend national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity and thus to secure a lasting world peace.
b) That U.S. imperialism is the biggest possessor of foreign military bases and is therefore the chief enemy of the peoples of the world and constitutes the greatest danger to national independence and world peace.
c) That foreign military bases are established in other imperialist countries, for instance the capitalist countries of Europe in the framework of aggressive military pacts like NATO. They constitute bases for eventual intervention in European countries where they actually claim to maintain the Old Established Order against the will of the peoples; they represent for these peoples a permanent threat, while reinforcing their own imperialism, which in this way they help to perpetuate.
d) That complete national independence, equality and justice as foundations for a genuine and lasting world peace and international co-operation cannot be fully achieved unless and until imperialism, colonialism and neo-colonialism in all their manifestations have been entirely eradicated from the earth.
e) That foreign military bases are in fact and in effect military means to maintain imperialism, colonialism and perpetuation of the lifelines of imperialism, and as such the military means for actual and potential imperialist aggression, both overt and covert.
f) That the struggle for the liquidation of foreign military bases established, maintained and manipulated by the forces of imperialism, in particular those of the U.S.A., the United Kingdom and France, can only be won by mobilising the masses of the people to form a united front of all progressive and anti-imperialist forces of the world, in a determined and continued struggle.
g) That the victory of such a joint international struggle against foreign military bases and the total liquidation thereof will finally lead to a new pattern of international relationship for a new world order based on full national independence, equality, prosperity and justice, without exploitation of nation by nation or of man by man.
OBJECTIVES
CONSIDERING that the Conference should pursue the following objective:
a) To mobilize all New Emerging Forces of the world, i.e. all the anti-imperialist forces fighting for a new world order based on national independence, prosperity, equality, international justice and lasting peace, to demonstrate jointly through this Conference their firm common determination to fight against foreign military bases.
b) To promote the understanding of the people on the danger of foreign military bases to the peace and security of mankind and the interrelationship between the foreign military bases and the counter revolutionary global strategy of U.S. imperialism, to encourage the people in their struggle against these evils.
c) To share experiences and exchange views on problems arising out of the establishment and maintenance of foreign military bases, and to discuss ways and means to intensify the struggle of peoples all over the world for the speedy liquidation of all foreign military bases.
d) To discuss the desirability and feasibility of establishing a closer co-operation with each other with the aim of seeking some form of liaison when conditions are ripe.
AGENDA
HAVING ADOPTED the following agenda:
a) General exchange of views on the struggle against foreign military bases as part of the present stage of the struggle against imperialism, colonialism and neo-colonialism;
b) Ways and means to intensify the struggle for the speedy liquidation of foreign military bases and to secure the free, progressive and peaceful growth of the developing nations;
c) Ways and means to intensify the struggle against imperialism, colonialism and neo-colonialism in specific areas of the world;
STATES THE FOLLOWING:
The deliberations in the Conference have resulted in a clearer understanding of the real nature of the foreign military bases as follows:
a) Foreign military bases established in the territory of all countries are for the purpose of maintaining vested imperialist interests in many spheres;
b) All foreign military bases are tools in the hands of the imperialists to maintain colonialism and neo-colonialism, to perpetuate the lifelines of imperialism and to contain and obstruct the national growth of the developing countries, in the pursuit of their respective national identities;
c) Other sites which provide facilities for imperialist aggression or which allow themselves to be used for the defence of imperialist lifelines are in reality also foreign military bases;
d) Since the U.N.O. has degenerated into a tool of imperialism, there is a growing danger that the U.S. will use it to establish new military bases, and for this reason the people of the world all the more demand that the U.N. be thoroughly re-organised so that it may return to the Principles of its Charter upon which it was founded.
The Conference arrived at the conclusion that the struggle for the liquidation of foreign military bases is a protracted struggle as long as imperialism in all its manifestations has not been completely eradicated from the earth. For the purpose of this struggle the anti-imperialist forces in all countries, including those with foreign military bases on their territories as well as in those establishing military bases in foreign territories, should unite in action for the liquidation of foreign military bases.
The Conference recognized that foreign military bases constitute a chain of imperialist strongholds throughout the world, which should be confronted by all anti-imperialist forces in the world.
THEREFORE THE CONFERENCE AGREED:
To initiate systematic campaigns to arouse public consciousness and awareness of the evils of those bases;
To launch actions of popular mass movement aimed at the speedy liquidation of those bases by means of activities in the political, military, economic, social, legislative and other fields;
To establish contacts with and cooperate among those forces struggling against foreign military bases.
APPEAL
The Conference unanimously decided to make the following urgent appeal:
To the people of the countries which have established military bases in the territory of other countries to demand of their government the dismantling of theses bases, the withdrawal of their troops from abroad and the withdrawal from military pacts for the sake of international peace and security.
To the peoples of the countries which are suffering from the establishment of F.M.B. in their territories to fight by all the means at their disposal for the speedy elimination of theses bases.
To the governments and peoples of the countries which are being subjected to the threat of imperialist subversion, intervention and aggression by means of encircling foreign military bases, to wage and an all-out struggle individually and in cooperation with the anti-imperialist forces in other countries for the complete liquidation of foreign military bases.
In conclusion the Conference expressed its profound appreciation to H.E. President Sukarno and his government as well as to the people of Indonesia for their cooperation and their warm hospitality, which have made this conference a great success.
Source: ARCHIVES DIPLOMATIQUES FRANÇAISES, Série ASIE-OCEANIE, Sous-série Indonésie, 1944-1967 (fonds 129 QO), transcribed by Darwis Khudori
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