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Do Greens have the guts?

Daniel Brett | 28.11.2001 21:15

Die Grünen (German Greens) showed it was unwilling to oppose the war on Afghanistan because it was unwilling to relinquish power. Do the British Greens have the guts to expell Die Grünen from the European Parliament's Green group?

In an effort to prop up the SPD-Grünen government, German Green leader and Foreign Secretary Joschker Fischer has managed to secure German government backing for the war on Afghanistan and the deployment of over 4,000 German troops. The vote among Green delegates in Rostock over the weekend Die Grünen have overwhelmingly sanctioned the first German military campaign since the Nazis. This is in stark contrast to Die Grünen's 1998 manifesto commitment "to non-violence, peace and human rights" ( http://www.gruene.de/sache/english/election98/global.htm). This comes on top of the party's backing of the government's support for Nato strikes against Yugoslavia which led to scores of civilian deaths, polluted the rivers with oil spills from bombed silos and refineries and spread depleted uranium throughout the countryside (how Green!).

Die Grünen is a member of the European Parliament's Green grouping, which includes the anti-war British Green party. However, the British Greens have refused to move against Die Grünen and expell them from the group. Margaret Wright, one of their principal speakers who spoke at the last anti-war demo, wrote to me stating that "I think it is better they remain. Die Grünen is completely split over the issue ... those who oppose the war need support. I think there is a real chance that they could easily become the majority. In addition, Schroder put in the vote of confidence to make it much harder to vote against.I would like to see Joscha Fischer leave. The Green Party is not pacifist (just almost!) a minority of our members apparently support some degree of military action.(no official poll). What help is it to expel people?"

Is this an acceptable response from the British Greens? I think not. This is an imperial, racist war which is equivalent to the Vietnam war and even the Nazi pogroms. It is unleashing mass destruction on Afghanistan, contributing to widespread starvation and destabilising the entire region, shoring up oppressive regimes which now have an excuse to kill ethnic minorities and political opponents. By refusing to expell Die Grünen, the British Greens are refusing to take a principled stand. They are behaving like cowards.

If you share my feelings, then write a polite letter to:
Margaret Wright, co-speaker -  mew30@cam.ac.uk
Jean Lambert MEP -  jeanlambert@greenmeps.org.uk
Caroline Lucas MEP -  carolinelucas@greenmeps.org.uk
Penny Kemp, national executive chairperson -  penny.kemp@virgin.net

You can also try writing to Buero Buetikofer ( buero.buetikofer@gruene.de), the thoroughly unpleasant General Secretary of Die Grünen. He told me that I knew nothing about the war and I should mind my own business after I lobbied him to oppose the war. At least, he's fun to irritate.

Daniel Brett
- e-mail: dan@danielbrett.co.uk

Comments

Hide the following 19 comments

Die Grünen statement

28.11.2001 21:28

For Die Grünen's statement on the US war on Afghanistan, go to  http://www.gruene.de/archiv/grem/LR/01Berlin2/beschluss/beschluss_gegen_terror-engl.htm

This aint rock 'n' roll, this is genocide.

Daniel Brett
mail e-mail: dan@danielbrett.co.uk

are the greens even worth considering ?

28.11.2001 22:20

i know that the greens supposedly stand for a woth while cause, I also know that the greens in europe have sold out big time and lost most of their support and now represent a tiny minority. It's only the fact they are part of the ruling coalition in germany that keeps them alive.
Are they really worth considering at all, or are the british greens a cut above the rest ??

a sincere question .. ???

LB

Luther Blissett

Never again

28.11.2001 23:01

I sdid vote for the Green in the general election - as a vote against the Labour candidate - never again

Ron Stramonium

look to the u.s. greens

29.11.2001 05:20

Nader's raiders condemned the war from the start. Not only that they are demanding RAWA to be allowed to participate in Bonn
Not only that they secured Bush into office by about 95,000 votes for Nader in Florida, votes that might have surely gones to Al Bore otherwise.
It's a sad thing, and I'm sure there is regret over that, but the greens in the USA stood up and continue to stand up for their policies. The U.S. is by design a 2 party system, but they have made their presence known, and the democrats will definitely recognize their threat from now on
Hopefully the green ideals will catch on here in the states and catch on again in Europe.. It's a good party, riddled with division however. That's what keeps it weak politically, unfortunately. Organization is the only way to be a force in politics.
This loony war is a good way of collecting the people though, human preservation should be the top of their agendas, and they should stand up for it instead of quivering at the P.M.'s demands

igloo

kick them out

29.11.2001 11:24

I see the greens in the way I see Labour, one should be critical of Labour's action on the war (and lots of other things)regardless of lots and lots of Labour party members that are apposed to the war. because Labour's good actives are NOT in control of that party and do not deside policy.
I would incurage a split in the Labour party.

For the German Greens I would do the same. even when issues like the nuck fuel trains which is a natural campain for the Greens the party in govenment did not do anything to stop the trains. which shows that everthing that people voted for is being igored, and that the germen Green have continued to follow the path layed down by chairman Blair as a european model of govening.

The UK Greens should kick the German Green out so as to split the party to the left after all more greens in Europe are to the left of the Germen Green leadership. so they would find themselfs ioslated. This would free the german actives of the right wing and unite the party across europe. what's more important power or green policy?

rich

'Warealos' take over European Greens

29.11.2001 14:11

Daniel Brett fingers a serious problem, but displays a lack of inside knowledge on the Greens in the European Parliament. The British Greens – 2 Members, as listed in his message – are in no position to expel Die Gruenen (4 Members) from what is officially called the Green/EFA Group (45 Members -  http://www.greens-efa.org/en/). He might try the European Federation of Greens.

In fact, yesterday, a serious coup took place, with the war-mongering realos (allow me to use 'Warealos' for short) taking over the Group more or less completely – Dany Cohn Bendit ('Dany the Red' so-called, of sixties fame, friend of Fischer, in favour of the war, and about as red as the sea) and Monica Frassoni (ex Gen Sec European young federalists, soft on the war) as Co-Presidents. Heide Ruhle (Die Gruenen, 'Fischerite', in favour of war, and says US has a UN mandate!! – can't read obviously) continues as Treasurer. Jean Lambert was also appointed to the Bureau of the Group, with Pierre Jonckheer (Ecolo, Walloon) and Claude Turmes (Luxembourg Greens), while European Free Alliance (EFA) representative Nelly Maes (Flemish Volks Unie) remains.

This lot are not about to remove Die Gruenen, sorry, no chance. More likely, these appointments will lead to a serious internal conflict, as the principled Greens are marginalized more than ever. Such a conflict could eventually lead to a split, and the departure of some of the more principled people - Swedish, one of the Irish and maybe even a British. Young radical German Green Ilka Schroeder is already gone, preceded by two less radical Germans.

"Power corrupts", and you know the rest of it. The Greens are not organized to defend themselves from that corrupting influence, as we see very clearly. Not only have they sold out politically, they also mismanage funds, hide unsavoury internal reports while calling for transparency, appoint their incompetent friends and girlfriends into jobs, employ people doing exactly the same job on salaries varying by 3 or 4 times!!! Etc You get the general idea, which must sound familiar.

Those who now support the Greens will find themselves promoting ideas they completely disagree with! Greens like the late Petra Kelly had the right ideas, but the parties have very poor organisation and strategy. Time to start again.

Opexer

'Warealos' take over European Greens

29.11.2001 19:18

Daniel Brett fingers a serious problem, but displays a lack of inside knowledge on the Greens in the European Parliament. The British Greens – 2 Members, as listed in his message – are in no position to expel Die Gruenen (4 Members) from what is officially called the Green/EFA Group (45 Members -  http://www.greens-efa.org/en/). He might try the European Federation of Greens.

In fact, yesterday, a serious coup took place, with the war-mongering realos (allow me to use 'Warealos' for short) taking over the Group more or less completely – Dany Cohn Bendit ('Dany the Red' so-called, of sixties fame, friend of Fischer, in favour of the war, and about as red as the sea) and Monica Frassoni (ex Gen Sec European young federalists, soft on the war) as Co-Presidents. Heide Ruhle (Die Gruenen, 'Fischerite', in favour of war, and says US has a UN mandate!! – can't read obviously) continues as Treasurer. Jean Lambert was also appointed to the Bureau of the Group, with Pierre Jonckheer (Ecolo, Walloon) and Claude Turmes (Luxembourg Greens), while European Free Alliance (EFA) representative Nelly Maes (Flemish Volks Unie) remains.

This lot are not about to remove Die Gruenen, sorry, no chance. More likely, these appointments will lead to a serious internal conflict, as the principled Greens are marginalized more than ever. Such a conflict could eventually lead to a split, and the departure of some of the more principled people - Swedish, one of the Irish and maybe even a British. Young radical German Green Ilka Schroeder is already gone, preceded by two less radical Germans.

"Power corrupts", and you know the rest of it. The Greens are not organized to defend themselves from that corrupting influence, as we see very clearly. Not only have they sold out politically, they also mismanage funds, hide unsavoury internal reports while calling for transparency, appoint their incompetent friends and girlfriends into jobs, employ people doing exactly the same job on salaries varying by 3 or 4 times!!! Etc You get the general idea, which must sound familiar.

Those who now support the Greens will find themselves promoting ideas they completely disagree with! Greens like the late Petra Kelly had the right ideas, but the parties have very poor organisation and strategy. Time to start again.

Opexer

Oops

29.11.2001 19:26

Sorry for double posting - first copy only appeared now

Opexer

Democracy in action

29.11.2001 22:11

What I think's interesting here is the way die Grunen's compromise/ sell-out/whatever parallels so exactly the historic trajectory of the Labour movement; ie you strive so hard to make yourself "electable" that the very ideas you were formed to represent become superfluous - or even antagonistic- to the urge to hang on to the bit of pwer you've managed to grab for yourself. Which begs the question- how to achieve any kind of meaningful social change outside of the Parliamentary system? ( And nil out of ten for anyone who spouts anything glib like "revolution".)

Julie Burchill

Ultimatum

29.11.2001 22:26

I am actually a member of the Green party, helped the Greens (and principal speaker Margaret Wright in particular) in their media relations during the last Euro-elections and stood in the county council elections in May (hey, I got a resounding 7 per cent). So, my dedication to the Green party is not in question.

I recently wrote to the two British Green MEPs and a number of senior Greens in Britain and Germany on the issue of the war. I stated that I would not be willing to continue my membership if Die Grünen was allowed to stay in the Green group in the European parliament while supporting German involvement in the war on Afghanistan as a coalition member.

Reinhard Buetikofer, Die Grünen's General Secretary, told me in a series of emails: "you don´t understand, what you are talking about, and you are obviously not even interested in learning more about things as they really are. That´s OK with me, but, please, don´t molest us ... I´m also quite sure there would be less hatred in the world, if people like you would be ready to accept that diverging opinions might be based on good intellectual and moral reasoning."

Others have not responded yet.

If the British Green continue to be associated with Die Grünen - which is obviously led by a bunch of arrogant, power-crazed individuals - then I will withdraw my membership. I urge all other Green members, supporters and voters to do the same. It's vitally important that you relay this to the Green party, to ensure they get the message that those who support this racist war should not be tolerated.

Daniel Brett
mail e-mail: dan@danielbrett.co.uk

Green/EFA policy statement

29.11.2001 23:02

The Green/EFA policy statement says that it is working for 'A foreign policy designed to resolve problems by peaceful means rather than by military force' ( http://www.greens-efa.org/en/about/#agreement).

Die Grünen have broken that agreement and the British Greens have not forced them out of the Green group. So by tolerating this betrayal, the British Green MEPs are being two-faced. As such, the Green Party should no longer be supported, either in elections or as a part of the anti-war coalition.

Daniel Brett
mail e-mail: dan@danielbrett.co.uk

Interesting point

29.11.2001 23:13

You make some interesting points about the German and British Greens, but still seem to have failed to grasp the essential fact; the British Greens in the European Parliament are in no position to expel the Germans. They are a minority. You could call for the British Green Party to leave the European Federation of Greens...but personally I don't think that would do any good at all. Whether you agree with the German Greens on this (and I don't at all, I consider it a betrayal of all the politics their party has been based on) it will do little good for the 2 British MEPs to stand on their own. They have little influence as it is.

Of course power can corrupt, and that is why being a member of the Green Party is nowhere near enough if you want to change society. I'd urge a principled member like you to remain in the party, however, as well as undertaking direct action and independent action on the issues you feel strongly about. As a party, the Greens can compromise, it doesn't mean that you have to stop working for what you believe in. If the British Greens themselves were pro-war, then I would have great difficulty in remaining a member myself....but simply associating with a party that is? It's not as if the British Greens are agreeing to mute their opposition to the war in order to work with the Germans...they have made their view very clear; they will continue to work with the German Greens on issues on which they agree, and continue to disagree on the war. I don't see anything wrong with that.

Yours,

Matt

Matt S

so what have the greens done 4 us ??

30.11.2001 09:01

so apart from winning the election for bush by nicking the
democrts votes in florida. WHAT HAVE THE GREENS DONE ?

U.S.A don't know ????
Germany .. arrogant bunch of wankers
Italy.. worst record on environment and total arseholes.
Holland ultra right wing scum bags
Britain two or three well meaning people don't count for sht
Sweden possibly mean it ...

Greens overall image in the euro parliment, bunch of opportunist chancers who specialise in flogging their grannies for bus fare ... untrustworthy people I wouldn't trust them further than i could boot them down the street !!!!!

Labour is red tories are blue that is for sure
Greens have made green, just another political colour scheme

LB

luther blissett

Principles are worth more than power

30.11.2001 10:39

Die Grünen's support for the war as a governing party in Germany is not an issue of policy or strategy. It's an issue of fundamental Green principles and human morality. The manifestos of both the EU's Green group and Die Grünen include a commitment to a foreign policy that supports peace and opposes militarism. This is one of the main principles that attracted me to the Green party.

The Greens have a choice of being in league with militarists or sticking to their principles. If we have to go it alone without the war-mongerers, then so be it. However, despite her objections to the war, Jean Lambert MEP has chosen to serve on the EU Green group's bureau alongside Die Grünen militarists. As such, I doubt that she'll be pushing for a split with Die Grünen. Consequently, I am no longer a member of the Green party and refuse to support or vote for it. All those who are against this war should do likewise and state this loud and clear to the Green party's head office. Write to:  office@greenparty.org.uk

Daniel Brett
mail e-mail: dan@danielbrett.co.uk

green war environMENTAL Greens

30.11.2001 11:11

yo Daniel, completely agree with you 100%, although you are seem to be more pissed off about the Green War.
But having seen the Greens sell out on the environment, protection of which, to me was the basic principle behind the movement. Have you heard about the renewabl energy scam, where by burning municipal waste and a "fration" of industrial waste will be considered fonts of renewable energy. This scam is already operated in Italy by the eco mafia, it's already law. As there are zero controls
the end result is that they are burning highly toxic waste and getting paid four times the going rate for the leccie produced. Due to a directive from the euro parliment which is just about to be rubber stamped by the parliment.
As the the environmental protection agencies in the UK allow
highly toxic, dioxine !!!, fly ash from incenerators to be used as a raw material for building blocks, burning toxic waste to make GREEN energy should be no problem..
I'll bosch the renewables shit on after this it's PDF and
i can't find the link.

LB

Luther blissett

Toxic renewables from EEC and other crooks

30.11.2001 11:14

Luther Blissett

Jean Lambert refused to stand for the EFA

30.11.2001 12:59

Actually, Jean Lambert MEP was due to stand for the position of Co-Chair of the EFA alongside one of the German militarists, and due to his stance refused to do so. LB, I'm not sure I understand your objections....environmental law is shit in this country; well duh, but what have the British Greens done that so offends you? As for the European wide Greens, one useful thing they have done is provided a consistent and rational voice against corporate globalisation in the European Parliament, and attended every WTO conference with alternative views, illustrating what the protestors have been saying in terms that bureaucrats have to at least listen to. As I said above, of course electoralism isn't the be-all and end-all of action, but it helps. Don't just vote Green, but its a start.

Matt

Matt S

Greened out

30.11.2001 14:40

Lambert's decision was a token show of defiance of Die Grünen's militarism. She was quite happy to sit on the bureau of the EU Green group, working under and alongside the militarists.

This war is not about justice, it's about US domination which involves the slaughter of thousands and the possible starvation of hundreds of thousands. The discussions in Bonn are done in the context of how the US and its corporations can control and exploit Afghanistan. None of this is about justice or democracy. It is a return to the imperialism once championed by the British and subsequently the nazis and fascists. Die Grünen are a part of this war and they can never been forgiven for their betrayal of the Green movement.

If the British Green party is willing to take up the same platform as Die Grünen despite its proclaimed opposition to the war, then it can hardly claim to be a principled party. I won't be a part of a party that shares a platform with war-mongers and anyone who opposes the war on Afghanistan should take the same stand against the British Greens.

Daniel Brett
mail e-mail: dan@danielbrett.co.uk

errm reply to some one

30.11.2001 15:07

yeah sorry I can't remember your name i seemed to have fucked up this whole posting by throwing in PDF file without a thought of the consequences. What I am saying about the environmental laws in UK or anywhere for that matter,
is that they are not worth the paper they are written on.
if a company can use highly toxic fly ash to make building
blocks, which are then used to make houses.
if i remember rightly the discussion on news night between
presenter and michael meacher, they reckoned that this could only be dangerous if the home hlder drilled into the wall.
They didn't mention the factory workers who made the blocks the bricklayers who laid the blocks or and the scores of other people, who might handle these blocks, in transit.
They would not use protective clothing as the blocks would hardly be labeled as containing dioxine and other selected toxins. come on the laws are a joke and what if these bastards get caught, it's a fifty quid fine, 50 grand for that guy from brighton, and they'll probably appeal !!!
the greens lack both teeth and balls .. sorry
not to mention the refuse from the byker incenerator used as garden compost .. pull the other one .. I could go on and on

sorry i balls up your posting, should repost, it's a worthwhile issue which you seem to be well up..

LB

luther blissett